Masters of the Universe: Trivia about the film starring Nicholas Galitzine and Morena Baccarin - plot

Masters of the Universe, the plot of the movie

Masters of the Universe is the action and adventure movie coming soon. The plot tells the story of Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), ten years old, who lands on Earth, separating from his Sword of Power. Two decades later, he retrieves his sword and takes on the role of He-Man while fighting for his home planet, Eternia, against the evil forces of Skeletor (Jared Leto).

He-Man is a warrior who possesses exceptional strength and courage and is the only one who can change the course of events: he is on planet Earth with his companions. The outcome of the titanic battle against Skeletor and the Forces of Darkness will decide the fate of the Universe. To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), and face his true destiny as He-Man.

Masters of the Universe, interviews with the actors

"It was a daily commitment, every day of the week," said Nicholas Galitzine to E News, regarding the gym sessions to sculpt his physique – it was a rather short period of time. "I would have liked to live in the character’s shoes for a whole year before filming, but the training changed a lot as the movie went on. At first, we really tried to increase muscle mass as much as possible, sometimes consuming up to 5,000 calories, lifting weights for three hours a day, and then we simplified everything."

Actor James Wilkinson – who plays Mekaneck – told Comicbookmovie that he loves "the fact that Mekaneck is so immediately recognizable. He has one of the most extravagant designs in the entire universe. He is literally a guy with an enormously extendable neck that he uses in combat."

Regarding working with Idris Elba, "Idris’s costume was similar to mine in weight and structure, so we understood what it meant to wear it all day. I remember Davey asking me if I wanted to take something off between takes, and I looked at Idris, who was still wearing the full armor, and said, 'No, thanks, I’ll wear it like this.'"

Masters of the Universe, the movie trailer

"There are legends that exist only in bedtime stories," says Adam in the released trailer. "Talking tigers, spaceships, magic swords that can make a man as powerful as a god."

"I sent you where I knew they wouldn’t find you. On Earth," says Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie). Then Adam tries to take a sword during an exhibition, and an attendant tells him "you can’t touch it," to which he replies, "Relax, the sword is mine."

Adam finds himself in the new universe: "What am I supposed to do?" he asks; "Take the sword, and protect them," Duncan / Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba) replies. Finally, he fights against Keldor / Skeletor (Jared Leto).

Masters of the Universe, the cast of the movie

The cast, alongside Nicholas Galitzine and Jared Leto, includes Camila Mendes as Teela, captain of the Royal Guard and adopted daughter of Man-At-Arms: she is a warrior goddess saved by He-Man, who later provided her with armor and weapons.

Alison Brie is Evil-Lyn, a villain, an evil witch who helps Skeletor as his second-in-command with her dark powers. Idris Elba is Man-At-Arms, He-Man’s closest ally, Teela’s adoptive father, and the inventor of most of the weapons and vehicles used by the Heroic Warriors.

Sam C. Wilson is Trap Jaw, a weapons expert and cyborg with a metal jaw that can bite anything, and a villain from another dimension that Skeletor invades in an attempt to enter Castle Grayskull. Koyo Attah is Tri-Klops, a bounty hunter and interdimensional swordsman who can see in any direction. Morena Baccarin is the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson is Fisto, an extra-strong warrior with a metal right hand, second in strength only to He-Man.

The direction is by Travis Knight, who has previously worked on Bumblebee and Wildwood. The screenplay is by Chris Butler, with a script in development since 2019, when filming was supposed to start in Prague with Noah Centineo as the lead. The budget is now under $200 million.

The movie is based on the action figures created by Mattel in 1982: the franchise has generated a variety of products, including six animated TV series, comics, video games, books, and magazines. Roger Sweet drew inspiration for his first He-Man prototypes from the fantasy drawings of Mattel packaging designer Mark Taylor, which included a character similar to He-Man called Torak.

Masters of the Universe, filming and release date

Filming began on January 6, 2025, in London, with Fabian Wagner as director of photography, and wrapped in June. The movie will be released in US cinemas on June 5, 2026.

Masters of the Universe, critical reviews

IGN states, "Although Nicholas Galitzine and Idris Elba provide the thematic backbone of the movie, Jared Leto’s Skeletor brings a delightfully bizarre and cartoonish energy to every scene he appears in. It’s a movie that appreciates the original material, including the extravagant names, and shows that the best way to enrich a fifty-year-old toy franchise is not to take it too seriously."

Los Angeles Times says, "The obviousness is the movie’s weak point, as well as its main source of comedy."

TheWrap comments, "It is so bland and embarrassing that it could well represent the final blow to ’80s nostalgia."

The New York Times notes, "The self-irony is good-natured rather than scornful, a joke that even the most devoted fans of the old cartoon can appreciate."