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In 2026, the '80s franchise Masters of the Universe got a feature film reboot with Travis Knight at the helm. Unfortunately, the film failed to impress.
Masters of the Universe hit theaters on June 5 and completely drowned, despite Amazon MGM Studios' efforts to promote the film. Not even two months later, the studio has made a shocking decision to send it to streaming. Per Deadline, Masters of the Universe will debut on Prime Video on July 22.
The film has never hit digital platforms, so the decision to send it straight to Prime Video after only 47 days is both interesting and unusual in the current environment. However, it's not something new for Amazon, which has used the same pattern for previous flops, including 2024's Red One, which ended up dominating the charts over Christmas that year and the following Christmas, too, and Chris Hemsworth's new crime movie Crime 101.
What Happens in Masters of the Universe?
Based on Mattel's media franchise, Masters of the Universe is the second live-action adaptation after the 1987 film of the same name, which starred Dolph Lundgren. The movie kicks off with a young Prince Adam still learning to trust himself and to fight. However, he never gets a chance to discover his true power, as the evil warlock Skeletor attacks Eternos, the capital of Eternia, so his mother sends him to Earth with the help of The Sorceress, alongside the Sword of Power.
Adam lives on Earth for 15 years after being separated from his family and the Sword of Power, which he loses when he arrives on Earth. Obsessed with finding the sword, his efforts eventually are successful, but it also draws the attention of several monsters that eventually help him get back home.
However, Eternia is no longer what he remembered, and he teams up with Duncan, the defeated and drunk Man-At-Arms, and his friend Teela, to stop Skeletor from taking over.
The movie has Nicholas Galitzine play Prince Adam/ He-Man, alongside Camila Mendes as Teela, Idris Elba as Duncan, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress, and Jared Leto as Skeletor. Travis Knight directed from a script by Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, and David Callaham.
Masters of the Universe divided critics and audiences, but it largely had a positive reception. The live-action movie features a 67% approval score from critics out of 251 reviews, which is nothing out of this world, but good enough for a "fresh" badge. Audiences, however, enjoyed the film, giving it an enthusiastic 86% approval score.
That wasn't enough for Masters of the Universe to become a box office hit. The fact that the movie's marketing wasn't aimed at younger children lost an important demographic, despite its PG-13 rating, and its considerable budget worked against it. Masters of the Universe was produced on a $170 million budget, and only grossed $113 million, not even close to reaching that sum. Since Hollywood films generally require a 2.5 gross to break even, Masters of the Universe was a major box office failure.
However, the move to send it straight to Prime Video will work in its favor. Fans don't have to purchase or rent the film, and can get a Prime Video subscription instead, which allows them to rewatch the film more than the 48-hour period digital rentals usually do.
Will Masters of the Universe Get a Sequel?
So far, Amazon MGM Studios hasn't announced a sequel and, looking at its box office haul, it might be different. However, not impossible, especially if the film becomes a streaming hit. Speaking to CBR ahead of the film's premiere, Travis Knight confirmed plans for a possible sequel.
"Yeah, of course," Knight replied when asked if he had a dream cast for a potential follow-up. "I think we've done that for this movie. But I also, I have so much affection for these characters and this world, and it's so much bigger than the scope of this film, there's so many things that I wanted to do in this movie that was outside the bounds of what the movie could be."
"We made the movie we wanted to make, and I'm very proud of that," Knight insisted.
However, he teased, "If we are to be so lucky to tell more stories set in this world, I know exactly where it's gonna go, and I know exactly who I would put in those roles."
Masters of the Universe will be available to stream on Prime Video on July 22.
