Jared Leto’s Skeletor in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is "The Embodiment of Toxic Masculinity”
A lot of are hoping Travis Knight is going to deliver an awesome Masters of the Universe movie. While the franchise has always mixed epic fantasy with colorful Saturday morning energy, Knight is steering this new take into darker, more psychologically charged territory. And a lot of that comes down to how Jared Leto is approaching Skeletor.
The film, coming from Amazon MGM Studios, brings Eternia back to the big screen with Nicholas Galitzine stepping into the role of Prince Adam and He Man. Leto, meanwhile, is taking on one of the most iconic villains in toy and animation history and Knight says this version of Skeletor is anything but shallow.
Talking with Empire Magazine, Knight explained why Skeletor stood out as such a fascinating character to reinterpret.
“Skeletor was a really interesting villain,” he explained. “He looked cool. He was scary. He was funny. He was insecure. And then of course he had this distinctive voice…I wanted someone to craft their own version of that.
“Jared approached us, because he loves Skeletor and has his own history with the character. He wanted to swing for the fences. And ultimately we landed on something that I’m really happy with. Skeletor’s kind of the embodiment of toxic masculinity.”
Instead of just cackling evil for evil’s sake, this Skeletor sounds like he’s driven by ego, insecurity, and the need to dominate. That’s a sharp turn that fits surprisingly well with the character’s long-standing obsession with power and control.
Knight also shut down one idea that had floated around in earlier versions of the film. Some past concepts apparently treated Skeletor’s face as more of a stylized mask. That was never going to fly with him.
“I said, ‘F— that s—. Skeletor has a skull face. That’s just the way it is. It’s a living, talking, emoting skull, and that’s that.”
I personally really like that the look of Skeletor in the film. They did a great job with the skull face design!
In Masters of the Universe, “Director Travis Knight brings the legendary franchise back to the big screen in this epic live-action adventure. After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) back to Eternia where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto).
“To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), and embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe.”
Between the darker take on Skeletor, the no compromise approach to his design, and Knight’s track record with character driven spectacle, this seems like it could work and be real swing for the franchise. Well just have to wait and see if it lands.
Masters of the Universe hits theaters in the United States on June 5, 2026.