The official teaser trailer for Masters of the Universe has arrived, giving us our first proper look at He-Man’s live-action return to the big screen. Watch the teaser above, then read on for what’s been revealed ahead of the film’s cinema release.
A journey from Earth back to Eternia
The teaser sets up Masters of the Universe as an origin story of sorts, with Prince Adam sent away from Eternia as a child to live on Earth for his protection. Unlike many fish-out-of-water heroes, Adam — now older and played by Nicholas Galitzine (The Idea of You, Red, White & Royal Blue) — knows exactly where he comes from and what he’s lost. His search for the Sword of Power eventually leads him back across space to Eternia, a world now fractured and ruled by Skeletor.
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According to the official synopsis, Adam returns to find his home “shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor,” forcing him to reunite with allies Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan, also known as Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba). To save his family and his world, Adam must finally embrace his destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe.
Visually, the teaser leans hard into bright, unapologetic fantasy, colourful CG and an overall cheeky, adventurous tone. Early reactions online suggest a bit of a split response, though, so we’ll see whether the film manages to deliver on more than nostalgia.
Skeletor, He-Man and a strong supporting cast
The teaser also delivers the first look at Jared Leto’s Skeletor, complete with skull face, blue musculature and theatrical villain energy. It’s a voice and motion-capture performance, so we may not actually see Leto’s face.
Alongside Galitzine, Leto, Mendes and Elba, the film’s cast includes Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, James Purefoy as King Randor and Charlotte Riley as Queen Marlena. Supporting roles also bring familiar figures to life, including Fisto, Roboto and Goat Man, with a mix of visual effects and heavy prosthetic work visible in the teaser.
Travis Knight, who previously directed stop-motion animated film Kubo and the Two Strings and the Transformers spin-off Bumblebee, directs from a script by Chris Butler, Aaron and Adam Nee, and Dave Callaham, with composer Daniel Pemberton (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) on the score.
Travis Knight’s personal connection to the franchise
For Knight, Masters of the Universe is more than just another reboot. Speaking about the project, he described returning to Eternia as something deeply personal, telling Empire, “These characters have lived with me since childhood. Stepping into Eternia was a homecoming, one that carried with it both joy and responsibility.”
He added that his focus has been on respecting longtime fans while opening the world up to new audiences. “I can’t wait for long-time fans to see and feel how much care we’ve taken,” Knight said, “and for new audiences to discover how epic, strange and beautiful this world can be.”
The film marks the franchise’s first live-action outing since 1987’s Masters of the Universe, which starred Dolph Lundgren as He-Man.
Release date
Masters of the Universe will be released in Australian cinemas on June 4 and U.S. cinemas on June 5.
