Empire magazine just dropped a pair of covers and exclusive looks at the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie, and comments from director Travis Knight and Nicholas Galitzine.
Starring Galitzine as Prince Adam/He-Man, the film hits theaters June 5, 2026.
“There’s an Inherent Silliness — And We Embrace It”
In the Empire interview, Knight doesn’t shy away from the franchise’s wild history.
“There’s an inherent silliness to it, which we are acknowledging and embracing,” he says. “I think it’s a virtue, actually. And it’s woven into the script to help some of these things make sense to a modern audience. Like, why would that character have that stupid name? Well, over the course of the movie we show you why.”
He-Man With Soul, Not Just Muscle
Casting He-Man wasn’t about size, says Knight, it was about spirit.
“I wasn’t looking for a body,” he explains. “I was looking for a soul. I needed someone who had the spirit of this character, and could be funny and charming and heartbreaking and also plausibly a big action hero. Because there’s a duality there: Adam essentially represents empathy, He-Man represents strength.”
“Most difficult thing I’ve ever done”
Enter Nicholas Galitzine, who admits the transformation was intense.
“I think anyone seeing that iconic physique would find it extremely daunting. Even the animations put Arnold Schwarzenegger to shame,” he laughs. “The proportions, the minuscule waist, the boulder shoulders… I had four or five months to get in shape. Truly, it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done.”
He adds that putting on the costume changed everything.
“You just become kind of abnormally confident in it. It’s like when you do sex scenes. Everyone else in the room is more uncomfortable than you are, you know? Wandering around in this costume was empowering,” he said.
More Images Reveal the World of Eternia
Empire also shared new stills, including Alison Brie as a regal and dangerous Evil-Lyn, Prince Adam raising the iconic Power Sword, glimpses of Battle Cat, Castle Grayskull, and a richly detailed throne room.
Masters of the Universe also stars Jared Leto as Skeletor, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms.
Watch the trailer here, and check out the new action figure line.
