New Masters of the Universe Footage Reveals Best He-Man Transformation Footage Yet

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After years of uncertainty and changes in studios – including time with Warner Bros., Columbia Pictures, and Netflix – the live-action Masters of the Universe movie is almost here, set to premiere in theaters soon. Director Travis Knight, known for his visually stunning stop-motion films Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, faced the challenge of reviving the beloved Mattel franchise for a modern audience while still pleasing longtime fans. The film stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam and Jared Leto as Skeletor, and recent trailers have shown a strong commitment to staying true to the original story. A brand new clip now provides the most in-depth look yet at Prince Adam’s iconic transformation.

A newly released clip from DiscussingFilm shows Prince Adam, played by Kyle Gallner, raising the Sword of Power. Similar to the classic series, he says, “I have the power!” while the sword transforms him into He-Man, the defender of Eternia. Fans of the original 1983 cartoon will also spot a quick appearance of the Spirit of Grayskull in the background, a nod to the show’s history.

Masters of the Universe Is Leaning Into the Campy of He-Man

Hollywood often tries to make animated or toy-based movies seem more serious by giving them a darker look, but this often backfires, as seen with the failed Power Rangers reboot. However, the new Masters of the Universe movie is doing the opposite. Director Knight is leaning into the bright, over-the-top fun of the original 1980s Mattel toys. Trailers and images show a colorful and lively version of Eternia. The filmmakers are also appealing to longtime fans by including many lesser-known characters from the toyline. Even the more unusual designs of characters like Trap Jaw, Tri-Klops, and Goat Man have been accurately brought to life on screen.

Even Skeletor, the main villain, was created with this approach in mind. Jared Leto’s portrayal of the Evil Lord of Destruction relies heavily on CGI, and his appearance – including the purple hood and signature laugh – closely resembles the original cartoon, which is intentional. According to the creative team, they consistently looked back at the classic Filmation series for guidance during the design process. The film feels less like a modern update and more like a high-budget version of the toys brought to life – exactly what Masters of the Universe fans have wanted for years.

Masters of the Universe is scheduled to be released in theaters on June 5, 2026.

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2026-05-19 14:10