A new clip from Masters of the Universe has arrived ahead of the film’s theatrical debut this week, giving fans another look at Jared Leto as Skeletor and Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn.
As you’ll see, director Travis Knight is leaning hard into the larger-than-life personality that made the classic He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon such a fan favorite.
The scene centers on a delightfully over-the-top exchange between Skeletor and Evil-Lyn, with both characters embracing a heightened, campy energy.
Skeletor comes across as more theatrical and comedic than outright terrifying, while Evil-Lyn matches that tone perfectly. It’s a style that may not work for everyone, but it certainly feels like the creative team is aiming to capture the spirit of the 1980s animated series rather than reinvent it.
I think this approach is exactly what fans have been hoping for. The movie appears to embrace the colorful fantasy, eccentric villains, and pulpy fun that defined the original franchise.
At the same time, it looks positioned to deliver the kind of crowd-pleasing summer adventure that general audiences can enjoy without needing decades of Masters of the Universe knowledge.
Knight recently discussed the team’s approach to bringing Skeletor to life, explaining: “We loved [Skeletor], and we wanted to make sure that those things that we loved about him came through on the screen. He was funny, he was strange, he was scary, he was menacing, he looked cool.”
The filmmaker went on to add: “He was deeply insecure. He was always insulting his underlings. He had a very distinctive voice and a distinctive laugh. And so making sure that we had all of those things in the character was really important.”
This new footage certainly checks several of those boxes. Skeletor spends part of the scene taking shots at his own followers, and viewers also get a good taste of that unusual laugh Knight referenced.
Early reactions from critics have been largely positive regarding Leto’s performance, though some viewers have noted that his voice can occasionally be difficult to understand.
Similar comparisons have even been made to Bane’s heavily processed dialogue in The Dark Knight Rises. In this clip, there are a few moments where Skeletor’s words are slightly muddled, but that seems to stem more from the vocal effects being applied than from Leto’s actual performance.
In Masters of the Universe, Prince Adam, played by Nicholas Galitzine, is drawn back to Eternia after being separated from his home for 15 years when the Sword of Power calls him back.
Upon his return, he discovers a world devastated under Skeletor’s rule. To save Eternia and his family, Adam must unite with Teela, played by Camila Mendes, and Duncan, also known as Man-At-Arms, played by Idris Elba, while finally embracing his destiny as He-Man.
The film also features an impressive supporting cast that includes Brie as Evil-Lyn, Morena Baccarin as The Sorceress, James Purefoy as King Randor, Charlotte Riley as Queen Marlena, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Fisto, Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops, Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Goat Man, Jon Xue Zhang as Ram-Man, Stephen Adentan as Moss Man, James Wilkinson as Mekaneck, and Kristen Wiig as Roboto.
Whether the movie ends up becoming a faithful fan-favorite adaptation remains to be seen, but based on the footage released so far, it looks like Knight and his team fully understand the wonderfully weird charm that made Masters of the Universe a pop culture phenomenon in the first place.
Masters of the Universe opens in UK cinemas on June 3 and arrives in U.S. theaters on June 5.
