Masters of the Universe Is What Marvel’s $760 Million Box Office Sequel Should’ve Really Been

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Travis Knight’s Masters of the Universe feels like the sequel fans were hoping for from Marvel in 2022. Director Travis Knight has proven he’s skilled at updating classic 80s franchises, and this film is no exception. It’s a heartwarming and genuinely fun celebration of He-Man and the characters of Eternia, prioritizing emotion over sheer power. The movie beautifully recreates many beloved Masters of the Universe characters, taking heavy inspiration from the classic Filmation animated series.

The movie is full of hidden details and references for fans, including many ‘Easter eggs.’ For instance, Adam sees Teela as a “warrior goddess,” which comes from her original backstory in the early Masters of the Universe comics. Skeletor’s actions also hint at his demonic origins, again referencing those older stories. However, while the film clearly draws heavily from Masters of the Universe lore, it’s just as influenced by another, quite different, franchise.

Masters of the Universe Riffs on Thor: Ragnarok in the Best Possible Way

Visually and in tone, Masters of the Universe feels very much like Taika Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok. It shares the same vibrant, colorful style, upbeat fantasy adventure feel, and focuses primarily on developing its main heroes. The film doesn’t try to be profound; it just aims to entertain, and it succeeds – audiences clearly agree, giving it an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The stories become even more similar when you examine the plot. Both feature a powerful weapon being broken in the third act – the Power Sword in Masters of the Universe and Mjolnir in Ragnarok. This event leads to a key realization for the hero: Thor discovers his power comes from within, not his hammer, while Adam learns that he is the source of the power, not the sword. This allows him to transform back into He-Man and even rebuild the sword through sheer willpower. While the character journeys aren’t exactly the same, they share striking parallels.

Masters of the Universe Perfect Thor: Ragnarok’s Flaws

While Masters of the Universe shares similarities with Ragnarok, many believe it’s actually a better film. This is largely because the creators of Masters of the Universe clearly have affection for their characters and treat them with respect. This contrasts with Taika Waititi, who admitted in an interview with The Empire Film Podcast that he wasn’t particularly invested in the Marvel characters he worked with.

He pointed out that comic book characters often feel distant from our everyday lives, especially those who are wealthy, fantastical, or struggle with extreme emotions. To make them connect with audiences, it’s important to place them in relatable situations where they experience common feelings like annoyance and guilt. Unlike some other shows, the creators of Masters of the Universe actively focus on making characters like Adam and Man-At-Arms feel down-to-earth and understandable, which is a very different approach than what you see in Ragnarok.

Another major difference is how each film uses humor. Masters of the Universe includes plenty of jokes and quick lines, but it doesn’t let them undermine the serious moments. They’re integrated into the story without taking over. Ragnarok, however, freely admits to having jokes that don’t really fit, even in a movie like a Thor film. A comedic line actually diminishes the impact of Asgard’s destruction, which is a clear example of Waititi going too far with the humor.

Masters of the Universe is a Better Ragnarok Sequel than Love and Thunder

Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok was a big success, earning $855 million globally and a strong 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Because of this, the studio brought director Taika Waititi back for another film, Thor: Love and Thunder, which came out in 2022. However, the sequel amplified Waititi’s less successful tendencies – it prioritized humor over serious moments and lacked a focused storyline. While it still made $760.9 million, even star Chris Hemsworth has acknowledged the film overdid it.

Interestingly, the new Masters of the Universe feels more like a true follow-up to the spirit of Ragnarok than Marvel’s actual sequel, Love and Thunder. Travis Knight clearly learned what worked in Ragnarok and built on those strengths, while avoiding the pitfalls of the later film. The result is a movie that not only surpasses the original but is also a significant improvement over Love and Thunder. Let’s hope that, despite its box office performance, Masters of the Universe can serve as a model for successful fantasy films in the future.

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2026-06-09 17:10