It’s a big year for Travis Knight, as he has two releases for 2026, and while there has been some extreme excitement for Wildwood later in the year, it comes as a complete surprise that Masters of the Universe might be among one of my favourite films that have come out so far. Since 2009, Sony Pictures has been trying to get a live-action adaptation of Masters of the Universe off the ground, and for over a decade, the movie has found itself in development hell with the rights bouncing back and forth between different studios.
Now, under Amazon MGM and Sony Pictures, we have a film that just remembers how to have fun and instantly makes you wish we got more movies that were on this level. Masters of the Universe follows Adam Glenn (Nicholas Galitzine), Prince of Eternia, who finds his way back from Earth to Eternia after reuniting with the Sword of Power, only to find that his home has been destroyed by Skeletor (Jared Leto).
While Masters of the Universe dates all the way back to the 1983 Filmation animated series, my knowledge of the franchise is minimal, as I was first exposed by the Netflix animated continuation created by Kevin Smith. Thankfully, Masters of the Universe arrives as an entry-level addition to the franchise.
The film opens up to Adam explaining the world of Eternia, the Sword of Power which bestows godlike power upon its user, naming them Champion of Grayskull. It’s during this same sequence that we learn of how Adam found himself on his mother’s home planet, Earth, and how he has been telling this story to a woman that he’s on a date with.
Credit: Amazon MGM/Sony Pictures
Masters of the Universe has one real problem, and it begins with the start of the movie. It comes with pacing issues, and while the large exposition dump at the start of the film helps people unfamiliar with the franchise hop on board, it feels like the time we spend on Earth is slightly wasted, which is unfortunate with how much of a blast the rest of the film is. It’s one of two parts of the movie where it feels like it comes to a halt, and to feel this early on is not ideal.
It doesn’t sour this origin movie, but I can’t help but feel there was another way to tackle helping newcomers feel situated with the world of He-Man and Eternia without having a whole segment on Earth, which doesn’t really offer much change for the overall film except introducing an original character that’s roommates with Adam and obsessed with romance movies.
Once we land in Eternia, Masters of the Universe kicks into full overdrive, and we finally get to witness the movie that Travis Knight has been dying to make and his love for the franchise is all shown on the big screen. It was already displayed with Bumblebee how well Knight can bring to life and recapture the atmosphere of 80s cartoons, and he does that once again here.
Ever since the 1987 Masters of the Universe film, the main thought was if anyone else was going to be able to play He-Man after Dolph Lundgren, which was perfect casting at that time. Travis Knight decided not to go for a household name and instead opted for Nicholas Galitzine, who’s widely known for his romance and queer movies.
Knight decided to take Galitzine and give him a shot at leading an action movie, and he’s proven that Knight made the right decision as he delivers an excellent performance as Adam. He’s not only built for this role physically but feels like he’s been ripped straight from the cartoons and onto the big screen as he leads the charge with his action and controls the comedic beats of the movie.
Credit: Amazon MGM/Sony Pictures
Masters of the Universe is nothing short of 80s campiness, and that all really shines anytime Skeletor is on screen. There was some huge worry when Jared Leto was initially cast as the character, and I was also among the few who didn’t know how to feel about Leto possibly tarnishing another franchise after Tron: Ares and Morbius, but surprisingly, he’s one of the best parts about this movie. Skeletor has always been such an intriguing, hilarious villain, and that’s because, unlike most villains, he understands that he’s the bad guy and enjoys being the villain of the story.
Skeletor is a character that switches from outright evil to being a complete goofball the next second, and Jared Leto understands that from his very first scene as the character. The mannerisms he showcases are perfect, and Leto is completely unrecognisable, from his look to his voice as the character, arguably making Skeletor one of his best roles in the past decade.
You can’t have Skeletor without Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie), and to not much surprise, Brie nails the cadence of the character. With her first line, you realise that Travis Knight isn’t hiding the nature of Masters of the Universe and trying to make it something that it isn’t; he’s embracing the full campiness of the series and staying faithful to what fans have loved so much about this franchise for decades.
The overall supporting cast, with Camila Mendes as Teela and Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, and even Kristen Wiig as Roboto, all give performances that showcase how much fun they all had on production, and it really shines through in the movie. The emotional beats of Masters of the Universe aren’t as strong as you’d hope, but the relationship between Teela and Man-At-Arms and how they handle Adam’s relationship with his father are some of the film’s strongest moments emotionally.
Where Masters of the Universe excels is with its action. The choreography is absolutely fantastical, and the direction from Travis Knight is superb. Each action sequence is better than the last, with every punch or slash feeling impactful. There’s so much creativity that’s poured into Masters of the Universe, from its grand epic action sequences and comedic beats that force out belly laughs from you to the overall cinematography, which isn’t shy to show any colour.
Masters of the Universe wouldn’t be complete without its score that Daniel Pemberton completely shines with, highlighting the epicness of Eternia and its heroes. Pemberton is an outstanding composer, having worked recently on The Drama earlier this year and showcasing his talents with how he’s able to create this distinctive, electric score with the aid of Queen’s lead guitarist, Brian May, who shreds with the guitar.
Masters of the Universe is ultimately the definition of a popcorn flick and might be the summer blockbuster movie of the year that everyone must watch. It doesn’t force your brain to go into overdrive but instead is a film that dives headfirst into the 80s campiness of the original show while also providing it with a modern lens. Travis Knight once again outdoes himself with outstanding direction embraces the ridiculous, vibrant and fantastical world of Eternia through its visuals but also heart-pounding action that will make you wish there were more fights in the film.
With 3 after-credit sequences, you can only hope that Travis Knight gets to create a movie franchise out of Masters of the Universe because it would be unfortunate to see it all end now when there’s so much potential.
