Masters of the Universe movie reboot sneak peak debuts at CinemaCon

CinemaCon has been a best friend to many film aficionados (geeks) recently, as it’s been the heart of new film buzz, teasing movie details from the likes of Resident Evil and that Beatles cast announcement.

And, clearly CinemaCon is the gift that keeps on giving, as Travis Knight’s new Masters of the Universe shared a sneak BTS reel of what’s in store for the film.

Amazon MGM Studios are releasing the live-action adaptation of the classic kids' toys and cartoon in 2026 and have finally given fans a taste of the upcoming film. In a short sizzle reel, the cast and creatives were shown on set, all in costume. The clip showed far-spanning views over London’s skyline and intricate backdrops, plus the main man - He-Man - with his blonde locks flowing in full glory.

Casting was teased earlier this year, when DeuxMoi posted some photos of Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man on its Instagram. However the reel officially confirmed that joining him will be none other than Jared Leto as Skeletor, and Idris Elba - who you can spot in the clip in all his superhero glory. Also cast are Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, and Charlotte Riley.

Knight, Galitzine and Mendes kicked off the sizzle, recorded from the London set, as they took turns explaining that they are teaming to create an “epic” movie with characters to set the scale. Knight explains that his passion for the universe dates back to childhood or “pretty much my entire life.” So much so that he “lived and breathed” the story and once even had a He-Man haircut.

Masters of the silverscreen?

Although plot details haven’t been revealed yet, we already know the film is taking place in a modern setting. In a recent interview Galitzine explained: "Our version is quite different from the original animation, which we all agree was camp within its own right and worked so well for the time." He added "It's exciting to do something that will have a nostalgia element as well as hopefully attract a bunch of new fans." Plus, we already have set pictures from filming where a certain, familiar weapon shows up, plus Galitzine sporting a salmon pink shirt in a modern glow up of the original pink vest.

This new screenplay has been written by Chris Butler, based on a story by Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, and Dave Callaham.

The film is based on a popular toy line from Mattel (no, not Barbie) but has also seen a couple of animated adaptations including the classic TV series from 1983-85, and a Netflix remake which released in 2021 and dropped a second series in 2024. The latter certainly retained a starry lineup with the voices of Chris Wood, Mark Hamill, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Liam Cunningham, Lena Headey, Melissa Benoist, William Shatner, Meg Foster and Keith David.

It's not the first live-action adaptation though. That dubious honour goes to 1987's Masters of the Universe, a disastrous take on the character starring Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella and Courtney Cox.

Masters of the Universe is set to release on June 5th, 2026 and is an Amazon MGM Studios production, meaning it’ll probably land on Amazon Prime Video as its first streaming home.

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