For a character who debuted on television screens (but not before his first appearance in comics) all the way back in 1983, it’s an actual miracle that He-Man has persisted in pop culture for as long as he has. Created as the centerpiece for a new Mattel toy line intended to revitalize the company after the immense popularity of the original Star Wars action figures, not only does He-Man have the honor of being one of the most financially successful toy releases of all time, but he’s also been a consistent presence across television and film. He’s had 3 different animated TV shows (not counting the original She-Ra spin-off) and two live-action movies: one a derided 80s flop (that some consider a cult classic) starring Dolph Lundgren in the central role, and the other just recently landed in theaters back at the beginning of June.
2026’s Travis Knight-directed Masters of the Universe reboot was met with a mixed but mostly positive critical reception, with a lot of praise aimed at the earnestness of the film as opposed to the much easier tongue-in-cheek ironic route it could’ve taken. For all intents and purposes, it actively embraces the silliness and high-fantasy absurdism of the original series, and yet that wasn’t enough to make it a box office success: it has unfortunately only grossed a little over $100 million on a budget twice that size, which seems like it might dampen any conversations about a potential follow-up. However, there’s always a chance that a sequel might come about anyway, specifically due to who distributed the movie.
