“Masters of the Universe” Official Teaser Trailer: Nicholas Galitzine Has the Power as He-Man Returns in Amazon MGM’s Big-Budget Fantasy Reboot — In Theaters June 5th

🎥 Travis Knight directs this glossy fantasy revival starring Nicholas Galitzine, Idris Elba, Jared Leto, and Camila Mendes for Amazon MGM Studios.

Anyone raised on ‘80s morning cartoons likely has fond childhood memories of watching a little animated fantasy series called He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. We’re sure we weren’t the only ones getting swept up in the heroic adventures of He-Man and his endless battles against the skull-faced, hooded sorcerer Skeletor. It was pure wish fulfillment. After all, He-Man was the superhero alter ego of Prince Adam. So the idea that one could simply raise the Sword of Power to the sky and shout the words, “By the power of Grayskull…,” only to be struck by lightning and transformed into a fearless warrior, felt like the ultimate childhood fantasy. Every little boy dreamed of that kind of power, mimicking the He-Man battle cry of “I have the power” in the hopes of becoming an instant muscle-bulging superhero.

So imagine our disappointment when the 1987 Masters of the Universe feature adaptation from Cannon Films arrived and was universally panned by critics, quickly relegated to cult status as a failed Dolph Lundgren–starring vehicle. Sure, it’s fondly remembered today less as a triumphant big-screen translation and more as a fascinating relic of ‘80s fantasy schlock. And truth be told, we’ve always viewed it as a guilty pleasure, mostly for nostalgic reasons. But it was undeniably a missed opportunity, as the world of He-Man was ripe for a fun fantasy epic—one that could’ve fully embraced the bold style and pulpy tone of the Saturday morning cartoon while elevating it into a true cinematic spectacle, much in the same way Conan the Barbarian successfully made the leap from comics and novels to the big screen.

But c’est la vie. Perhaps Mattel was better off focusing its energy on the popular toy line and the cartoons.

And while the fandom around He-Man never truly died—there are still plenty of hardcore fanatics out there to this day—the genre itself has largely fallen out of fashion, or at least isn’t the cultural force it was back in the 1980s.

Sword-and-sorcery fantasy, in particular, was a subgenre that enjoyed a major rise during the ‘80s, perhaps spearheaded by the popularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Conan the Barbarian. You could certainly count The Beastmaster, Dragonslayer, Krull, Legend, Fire and Ice, and Willow among the standouts of that decade. Much of this could be attributed to the influence of visionary ‘70s sci-fi and fantasy artists like Frank Frazetta and Boris Vallejo, whose iconic paintings and illustrations paved the way for the genre’s breakout into mainstream pop culture.

But here’s a question worth throwing out into the ether: could the sword-and-sorcery fantasy genre make a comeback? Is there still an audience for it, or have pulpy, muscle-bound, sword-swinging spectacles been left behind with the VHS era and Saturday morning cartoons?

Well, we for one like to believe there’s still a hunger for these types of larger-than-life fantasy stories, where heroes are unapologetic and villains are unmistakably evil.

Well, here’s the thing: after a long-gestating pre-production process marked by a couple of false starts and some do-overs, Mattel has teamed up with Amazon MGM Studios to finally revive the Masters of the Universe franchise for the big screen. It’s an ambitious, big-budget action-adventure extravaganza that’s had fans buzzing ever since its announcement a year ago, especially after animator-turned-filmmaker Travis Knight, of Bumblebee and Kubo and the Two Strings fame, was tapped to helm the project.

Now, fans are finally getting their first official look at the highly anticipated film with the release of its very first teaser trailer. Watch it above.

Now, it should be noted that for those looking for a serious, straight-forward take on He-Man—one fully committed to bringing back that old-school sword-and-sorcery fantasy vibe—be warned: this isn’t quite that kind of movie. This feels very much influenced by today’s superhero movie landscape, borrowing its glossy tone, heightened humor, and modern blockbuster sensibilities. It will, however, likely erase any lingering negative thoughts about the 1987 Masters of the Universe film, as this new iteration is clearly intended to be more self-aware, crowd-pleasing, and fully leaning into nostalgia.

English actor Nicholas Galitzine (best known for the Netflix rom-com Purple Hearts, the raunchy teen comedy Bottoms, and the period miniseries Mary & George) steps into the role of Prince Adam/He-Man in this live-action, big-screen take on the iconic hero and toyline. And while he’s clearly packed on the muscle, it’s obvious Galitzine put in the work to physically embody the character’s larger-than-life presence.

Here, much like Superman, Prince Adam is sent away to live on Earth after his home realm of Eternia falls under the control of the powerful and evil forces of Skeletor and his minions. This marks a clear departure from the original source material, as the film seemingly aims for a more meta, self-aware approach to reintroducing the character.

Now working a boring 9-to-5 office job, Prince Adam—now going by the very Earthly alias “Adam Glenn”—dreams of one day returning home to reclaim his kingdom and rid Eternia of Skeletor once and for all. The problem? His Power Sword is missing—the very artifact that not only transforms him into He-Man but can also send him back to Eternia. The good news? That sword may have inexplicably ended up inside a local comic book shop, sitting there as part of a display, completely unrecognized for what it truly is.

So once Prince Adam is reunited with his sword, the journey truly begins, hurling him into battle against Skeletor and his army, reuniting him with his old companions, and forcing him to finally reckon with his family, his legacy, and the destiny he’s been running from.

Joining Nicholas Galitzine is a stacked cast stepping into a lineup of notable characters from the He-Man universe.

• Idris Elba brings steel and authority as Duncan, aka Man-At-Arms, He-Man’s trusted lieutenant and right-hand man.

• Camila Mendes steps into the role of Teela, Man-At-Arms’ adoptive daughter and He-Man’s sergeant, as well as Prince Adam’s childhood friend.

• Jared Leto takes on Skeletor, the ruthless leader of the Evil Warriors.

• Alison Brie plays the cunning sorceress Evil-Lyn, Skeletor’s second-in-command.

• Morena Baccarin portrays the Sorceress, the mystical guardian of Castle Grayskull.

• James Purefoy and Charlotte Riley co-star as Eternia’s royal rulers and Prince Adam’s parents.

• Kristen Wiig lends her voice to Roboto, He-Man’s loyal robot sidekick.

Rounding out the ensemble are Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Goat Man, Jon Xue Zhang as Ram-Man, Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops, Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Fisto, and Sasheer Zamata as Suzie, Adam’s co-worker during his Earthbound life.

Director Travis Knight is working from a screenplay by fellow Laika animator-turned-filmmaker Chris Butler (ParaNorman), following earlier development work by filmmakers Aaron Nee and Adam Nee (The Lost City), who were originally attached to the project before stepping away.

Now produced by Amazon MGM Studios in partnership with Mattel Films, the movie marks the franchise’s first live-action outing since the 1987 original, with hopes of launching a new cinematic chapter.

Masters of the Universe arrives exclusively in theaters on June 5th. So… by the power of Grayskull— it’s about damn time.

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Official Synopsis:

When times were simpler…

In MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, Director Travis Knight brings the legendary franchise back to the big screen in this epic live-action adventure. After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) back to Eternia where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto). 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 embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe.

In theaters June 5th.