2026 Masters of the Universe Review written by the Ent. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Watch
Movie: Masters of the Universe
Rating: PG-13
Age Suggestion: 12 and up
Running Time: 2 hours 23 minutes
Release Date: June 5th, 2026 (Now streaming on Amazon Prime)
Themes: Identity, belonging, courage, chosen family
Warnings: Several sexual jokes/innuendos (nothing shown, just talked about), lots of violence/explosion although generally pretty cartoony, lots of discussion about identity and not living up to expected standards, parental loss
Quick Masters of the Universe Summary
I’ll admit it up front: I never watched the He-Man cartoon as a kid, never owned the action figures, and walked into this movie with genuinely no nostalgia to protect. Masters of the Universe follows Prince Adam, who was sent from the planet Eternia to Earth as a child to keep him safe from the villain Skeletor. Now grown up and living an ordinary life, Adam has to reclaim his birthright, wield the Power Sword, and become He-Man to save his home planet.
Related Content: Favorite Masters of the Universe Quotes
My Honest 2026 Masters of the Universe Review (Contains Spoilers)
Going in With Zero Nostalgia
Obviously, anyone who existed in the 90s (such as myself) has at least run across a few of the characters and quotes through pop culture. “With the power of Grayskull” was familiar to me, but I wouldn’t have been able to complete the quote. Sadly, I think a specific episode of South Park is the closest thing to watching something in the “He-Man” universe (IYKYK). I did catch a few things that I was able to piece together such as Dolph Lundgren’s cameo and the appearance in the post credit scene (Thank you, princess of power)!
What Actually Worked For Me
For me personally, I was expecting He-Man to honestly just take itself more seriously. With that said, I thought the light nature and heartfelt moments genuinely much more connected to Adam’s character than a simple punch em up action star normally would. I thought Nicholas Galitzine (Adam) in particular did a fantastic job with the balance of an apparent loser at first transitioning to a warrior who still would rather talk and connect than punch you in the face (although is very capable of doing both).
There were lots of other performances and acting that I thought were quite good, but I think I’d like to give a special shoutout to the non-human characters, specifically Cringer and Roboto. Although they may not have had the most screen time, they are both characters that I immediately got attached to!
Lastly, one thing I thought was super fun was the little bits of time we spent on earth. I didn’t know this story was attached at all to earth (and I fully acknowledge that this may be a modern change). Seeing these characters who may be quickly normalized in a fantasy world (such as Beast Man) fully involved in a simple traffic scene really brings the fantastical element to the forefront.
Where a Non-Fan Gets Lost (or Doesn’t)
This movie really does a good job at helping non-fans not get too overwhelmed or lost in it’s own lore. It builds things at a nice pace and gives character introductions a chance to breathe. With that said, I can’t help but feel there were at least a handful of references that would leave long time fans using that Leonardo DiCaprio meme. The only character that literally came out of nowhere was Orko and that will likely be more explored if a sequel gets created.
Would a He-Man Newbie Actually Enjoy This?
Overall, I think this movie is a great way to bring people into the Masters of the Universe/He-Man franchise. The movie does a great job at introducing all the main characters and even leaves you intrigued by new additions down the road. It also does a decent job at being appropriate enough for older kids (I’d say 11 and up depending on their maturity). This allows them to see it and then potentially build up to watching older shows or maybe even the more recent She-ra show!
Masters of the Universe Discussion Questions
- What did you already know about He-Man before watching, even if you’d never seen the cartoon or movies?
- Adam spends most of his life not knowing his full identity. Have you ever had to grow into a responsibility you didn’t ask for?
- Which character did you feel most connected with an why?
- Do you think this movie makes you want to check out the original 1983 cartoon, the 1987 film or She-ra? Why or why not?
- What “power” (skill, courage, kindness, etc.) do you wish you could unlock in your own life?
Thanks for checking out our 2026 Masters of the Universe review. For more content, check out The Odyssey Parent Review
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