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By the power of Grayskull, Masters of the Universe has skipped its premium video on demand (PVOD) release to make its streaming debut on July 22 via Amazon Prime Video. The big-screen reboot of Mattel’s toy-turned-media franchise opened in theaters on June 5, marking the iconic toy company's second theatrical film after Barbie.
Masters of the Universe began at Mattel in the early 1980s as an action-figure line designed to compete with Star Wars. The lore combines science fiction with medieval fantasy, following the prince of a cosmic kingdom as he transforms into the most powerful man in the universe to defend his castle from an evil sorcerer.
The Amazon MGM Studios production, which was in development for a whopping 18 years, faced a lackluster run in theaters. According to Deadline, its opening weekend earned a meager $29.4 million, then took a catastrophic dive in its second weekend, seeing a 70% drop in ticket sales and earning only $8.9 million domestically. By the end of its theatrical run, Masters of the Universe had earned $64.6 million domestically and $48.7 million internationally for a worldwide box office total of $113 million to date, an underwhelming start for a cinematic production that cost nearly $200 million to make, and that does not include marketing costs.
Why is Masters of the Universe skipping PVOD?
It is following Amazon MGM's streaming strategy in hopes of recouping costs
For comparison, Masters of the Universe cost nearly the same amount to produce as the 2026 blockbuster Project Hail Mary. When the Ryan Gosling-led film hit PVOD with a $19.99 rental fee and a $24.99 purchase fee, it generated a new revenue stream before heading to streaming video on demand (SVOD) on MGM+ and later, Prime Video. It makes sense, then, that the most logical route for Masters of the Universe to take in the home entertainment arena is to head straight to PVOD, but that isn’t happening.
Instead, the return of the legendary franchise is following the same 40– to 50–day theatrical window model that other Amazon MGM feature films have taken, in hopes of recouping its enormous production costs. For example, Ben Affleck’s crime thriller The Accountant 2 opened in theaters on April 25, 2025, and made its streaming debut 41 days later on Prime Video. In 2026, the Chris Hemsworth– and Halle Berry–led action thriller Crime 101 premiered in theaters on February 13, 2026, before arriving on the platform just 47 days later. Now, after a 47-day theatrical run, Masters of the Universe is available to stream on Prime Video.
What is Masters of the Universe about?
An epic He-Man origin story
Directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee), the live-action sword-and-sorcery sci-fi adventure follows Prince Adam of Eternia (Red, White, & Royal Blue’s Nicholas Galitzine), who is separated from his magical Sword of Power as a child during the villainous sorcerer Skeletor’s (Jared Leto) conquest of his home planet. Banished to Earth, Adam spends 15 years living a mundane, unfulfilling life while obsessively searching for his sword.
After finally locating the weapon, Adam is led back across the galaxy to Eternia, where he finds his beloved home shattered and in ruins under the vicious rule of Skeletor. To save his family and his world, the prince must join forces with his closest allies, Teela (Upgraded’s Camila Mendes) and Man-at-Arms Duncan (Luther’s Idris Elba), and embrace his true destiny as the most powerful man in the universe, He-Man.
Additionally, Alison Brie (Community) stars as the supervillainess Evil-Lyn, James Purefoy (Rome) as King Randor, Charlotte Riley (Entity) as Queen Marlena, Morena Baccarin (Greenland) as The Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) as the voice of Roboto, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Alpha) as both the heroic warrior Malcolm and Duncan’s younger brother Fisto, who is known for his giant metal fist.
How to watch Masters of the Universe
A free trial or monthly subscription is required
Masters of the Universe is available to stream on Prime Video globally from July 22. Prime Video is included with an Amazon Prime membership, which costs $14.99 monthly or $139 annually in the US. According to the streamer, memberships are available for young adults and qualifying recipients of government assistance at a 50% discount. Viewers are encouraged to check their local Amazon website for information on Prime membership pricing in their region.
If you aren’t yet a member, today is a good day to start your 30-day free trial.
You can also find other iterations of Masters of the Universe on Prime Video. The first two seasons of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series from the 1980s and the early 2000s are currently available to stream, as is the original 1987 live-action film with Dolph Lundgren (Rocky) and the 2016 animated movie Masters of the Universe: The Curse of the Three Terrors.
