MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Heads to Prime Video This Week After Its Tragic Box Office Run
One of this summer’s most entertaining fantasy adventures is already making the jump to streaming.
Masters of the Universe is set to arrive on Prime Video this Wednesday, July 22, giving fans another chance to experience Travis Knight’s colorful live-action take on the iconic franchise after its surprisingly short theatrical run.
Despite earning mostly positive reviews and winning over plenty of longtime fans of the classic animated series, Masters of the Universe never found the larger audience it needed in theaters.
The film wrapped up its box office run with just $113 million worldwide, making it one of the bigger disappointments of the summer.
That’s honestly a shame because Masters of the Universe was a blast. It embraced the fun, larger-than-life spirit of the original property while delivering plenty of action, humor, and heart.
It wasn’t trying to reinvent the franchise. Instead, it leaned into everything fans have loved about Eternia for decades, and the result was a genuinely entertaining fantasy adventure.
Sometimes that’s exactly what audiences are looking for, which makes its underwhelming theatrical performance even more surprising.
While its theatrical run didn’t meet expectations, a strong showing on streaming could still help shape the future of the franchise.
If the movie attracts a large audience on Prime Video, there’s always a chance a sequel could move forward, though it would likely come with a much smaller budget.
Even with the disappointing box office numbers, MGM Studios’ Head of Domestic Theatrical Distribution, Kevin Wilson, remains optimistic about the film’s performance, saying:
“This weekend represents a very solid start for Masters of the Universe and the passionate, multigenerational audience response we’re seeing around the world has been fantastic Travis Knight and the entire cast and filmmaking team have delivered something truly special, and this opening is exactly the kind of critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy—building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window.”
Whether that optimism translates into another trip to Eternia remains to be seen, but streaming success has rescued more than a few franchises in recent years.
“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.”
The movie stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam/He-Man alongside Camila Mendes as Teela, Jared Leto as Skeletor, Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, Morena Baccarin as The Sorceress, and James Purefoy and Charlotte Riley as King Randor and Queen Marlena. Alison Brie also appears as Evil-Lyn, while Sam C. Wilson plays Trap Jaw, Kojo Attah portrays Tri-Klops, and Kristin Wiig voices Roboto.
If you skipped Masters of the Universe in theaters, it’s definitely worth adding to your watchlist when it lands on Prime Video.
It’s a fun fantasy adventure that deserved a better shot at the box office, and hopefully streaming gives it the audience it couldn’t quite find on the big screen.