June 8, 2026 · Watch the trailer
Camp only works in comedy if everyone is in on the joke. The overly broad, absurd, and often outlandish style of humor has a strange yet irreverent place in cinema, and while films like “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Barbie,” and “Thor: Ragnarok” can elevate this sense of ridiculousness to new heights, a filmmaker who doesn't realize they're making a camp movie can often miss the mark wildly.
“Masters of the Universe,” the new film from director Travis Knight, takes the classic television character He-Man and his friends and reimagines them for the modern era. While closely inspired by Marvel's “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Masters of the Universe” doesn't quite rise to that same level of spoof humor, as its screenplay fails to balance genuine fan service with a clear understanding of just how bizarre a space world filled with talking tigers and men in loincloths truly is.
The film serves as an origin story of sorts for a potential expanded universe, with Adam, the Prince of Eternia, being sent to Earth following the apparent death of his parents in a clear lift from “Superman” canon before returning years later to save his home from Skeletor and his band of evil minions.
Nicholas Galitzine does a decent job balancing the warmth and humanity of Adam with the larger-than-life version of He-Man, although the screenplay, written by Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee and David Callaham, makes the baffling decision to weave Adam's naivete through the world of human resources.
Many of the film's frequent HR-related jokes simply don't land, despite Galitzine's commitment to the bit. His performance does give audiences an easy protagonist to root for, though it isn't particularly memorable once viewers leave the theater.
Camila Mendes is fine as Adam's best friend and love interest, Teela, though the clear parallels between their characters and the relationship between “Guardians” heroes Star-Lord and Gamora feel equally confusing and out of place within the larger context of the film.
Idris Elba plays slightly against type as a former royal guardsman whose failures have led him into depression and alcoholism, providing far more interesting comedic and dramatic moments than either of the film's two leads.
Ironically, Jared Leto, known for his over-the-top work in many recent flops, understands the film he's in far better than anyone else, and audiences never even see his face. As the CGI-rendered Skeletor, the level of broad camp that Leto embraces as the iconic villain provides many of the film's best comedic moments.
“Masters of the Universe” is a comedy where only about 30 percent of the jokes actually land and a space-action epic that offers only one or two truly engaging action sequences.
The film largely feels like an extension of the animated series, simply translated into live-action form, which feels appropriate given that its director comes from the world of animation, having previously helmed the vastly superior animated film “Kubo and the Two Strings.” While there is a sense of similarity between “Masters of the Universe” and its television roots, the film never takes itself too seriously, allowing it to become intermittently entertaining despite its many flaws.
If “Masters of the Universe” were a bit more in on the joke and punched up by smarter comedy writers, it could have been the surprise hit of the first half of 2026. As it stands, it turns out to be just another inevitable IP project for studio executives hoping audiences latch onto nostalgia.
Certainly not the year's best blockbuster, there is little reason for audiences to rush out theatrically to catch “Masters of the Universe” on the big screen. However, its inevitable release on Amazon Prime later this year should make for perfectly enjoyable, turn-your-brain-off streaming fodder this fall.
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