Amazon MGM Studios’ long-awaited return to Eternia is coming, and this month’s Empire Magazine is shining a spotlight on Masters of the Universe, and the newly revealed covers and stills give fans their best look yet at the scale and attitude of the reboot.
If you grew up with He-Man or just love big fantasy worlds packed with muscle, magic, and mayhem, we’re all hoing that this movie delivers somthing awesome! There might be a lot here to get excited about here.
One of the Empire covers brings the heroes together in classic fashion. He-Man, Teela, Man-At-Arms, and Battle Cat stand shoulder to shoulder, ready for war.
Nicholas Galitzine steps into the role of Prince Adam turned He-Man, flanked by Camila Mendes as Teela and Idris Elba as Duncan, better known as Man-At-Arms. It’s a fun group shot that leans hard into the mythic and vibrant fantasy vibe.
The second cover takes a very different approach, and it’s a cool one. Illustrated by artist Max Löffler, the image puts Castle Grayskull front and center, looming ominously over the landscape.
The fortress, now under the control of Skeletor, feels less like a backdrop and more like a character in its own right. It’s the kind of image that instantly reminds you what’s at stake in this story.
Director Travis Knight opened up about the tone of the movie while speaking to Empire, which we previuosly reported on.
“There’s an inherent silliness to it, which we are acknowledging and embracing. I think it’s a virtue, actually. And it’s woven into the script to help some of these things make sense to a modern audience. Like, why would that character have that stupid name? Well, over the course of the movie we show you why.”
Knight also shared some thoughtful insight into casting He-Man, and it’s clear this version of the character is about more than just looking the part.
“I wasn’t looking for a body. I was looking for a soul. I needed someone who had the spirit of this character, and could be funny and charming and heartbreaking and also plausibly a big action hero. Because there’s a duality there: Adam essentially represents empathy, He-Man represents strength.”
Story-wise, Masters of the Universe brings things back to basics in a way that still feels epic. After being separated from the Sword of Power for 15 years, Prince Adam is drawn back to Eternia, only to find his homeworld broken and ruled by the ruthless Skeletor, played by Jared Leto.
To save his family and the planet, Adam teams up with Teela and Man-At-Arms and finally embraces his destiny as He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe.
The film is directed by Knight and written by Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, and Dave Callaham. The cast is packed with familiar faces, including Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, along with Leto and Elba.
The movie will be released theaters on June 5, and Eternia looks ready for its close-up.
