Nicholas Galitzine wields the Sword of Power as He-Man in Travis Knight’s epic revival; Camila Mendes and Jared Leto join the star-studded fantasy led by Mattel Films and Escape Artists.
CinemaCon 2025 got a mighty sneak peek into Amazon MGM’s bold new adaptation of Masters of the Universe — and even with limited footage, the crowd was thunderstruck.
The live-action reboot, directed by Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings), stars Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man and Camila Mendes in a leading role, with Jared Leto cast as the iconic villain Skeletor (though not shown in the early footage). Other major names attached include Alison Brie, Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson.
“It’s the rebirth of this incredible world,” said producer Jason Blumenthal, beaming from the film’s massive set. Knight shared his nostalgic connection to the franchise, even revealing he once had the signature He-Man haircut as a kid.
While the teaser included only set glimpses and behind-the-scenes footage, it was enough to ignite the room. The presentation showcased sprawling set designs of planet Eternia, including He-Man’s legendary Sword of Power, which drew enthusiastic cheers.
There was no shortage of physicality either — with Galitzine’s intense sword training and gym prep shown in rapid-fire b-roll, including a brief (but memorable) flex in full He-Man battle gear.
🏗️ A Film That Muscled Through Development Hell
The journey to Eternia hasn’t been easy. A previous iteration of the film at Netflix — led by filmmakers Adam and Aaron Nee (The Lost City of D) — burned through $30 million in development, as reported by Variety in 2023. Budget disagreements, including a proposed $200 million production cost, ultimately shelved that version.
Now, under Mattel Films and Escape Artists, with Oscar-nominated producer Todd Black (Fences, The Equalizer) and a new script by Chris Butler (Kubo and the Two Strings), Masters of the Universe is finally seeing the light of day — and it’s coming in with epic scale.
The story was originally conceived by the Nee Brothers and Dave Callaham, laying the groundwork for the new creative vision that Knight is now bringing to life.