MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Test Screenings Taking Place; First Reaction Calls It “Amazing”
Fans of Masters of the Universe may not have to wait much longer to get a glimpse of the long-awaited live-action adaptation. Reports are surfacing that test screenings for the movie are happening tonight, and the first reaction sounds incredibly positive.
According to HeMania.com, screenings are being held on both coasts of the U.S., with select audiences in New Jersey and California getting to see an early, unfinished version of the film. The cut reportedly includes incomplete visual effects, but that’s not stopping those in attendance from forming early opinions.
One of the first reactions came via The John Campea Show, where Campea shared what he’d heard from a trusted source.
“I talked to somebody who has seen He-Man. Who has seen it in its early stages and they said 'It's Amazing'. And this isn't somebody who's got any dog in it. This isn't somebody that has anything to benefit from it. They said it's amazing. They said they were totally shocked. Completely surprised. But they said it's amazing.”
That’s quite an endorsement. The first Masters of the Universe teaser trailer is reportedly on the way soon, possibly as early as next month, and details about what it shows have already started to leak.
One leaker claims the teaser will feature Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam and Camila Mendes as Teela, with the motion-capture character seen in earlier set photos confirmed to be Cringer, not Beast Man.
The footage reportedly ends with Prince Adam raising his sword and shouting the legendary phrase that transforms him into He-Man.
Here’s how one early viewer described the teaser:
“It was an early cut of the trailer, with several shots showing green screen still and a bit difficult to see due to the security watermarks, but it was overall good. It was about 75% WIP. The cut was quite rough, so it was by no means polished.
“But the characters I saw all looked good. It opens with Prince Adam talking to a friend on Earth and they are confused because Cringer is there and they discuss the green tiger.
“From there it goes to Prince Adam going to his home world and learning about his lineage from who I think is the sorceress, but it was kind of hard to see because of the watermarks.
“After that it bounces around a bit and you see Prince Adam talking to a few of people from Eternia. There was a brief glimpse of Skeletor and who I think was Evil-Lyn.
“The trailer does show Prince Adam raising the sword and yelling “I HAVE THE POWER” and you see the transformation. A few quick scenes of him fighting as He-Man then it ends.”
The same source added that Jared Leto’s Skeletor closely resembles his animated counterpart, and the film overall appears to be a “solid origin story” for the franchise’s iconic hero.
The Masters of the Universe cast also includes 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 is playing Evil-Lyn, while Sam C. Wilson (House of the Dragon) will appear as Trap Jaw, Kojo Attah (The Beekeeper) as Tri-Klops, and Jon Xue Zhang (Eternals) as Ram-Man.
After years of false starts, including an abandoned Masters project at Netflix, Amazon/MGM Studios officially took over development, bringing in Bumblebee director Travis Knight to helm the movie.
The script has been rewritten by Chris Butler, based on an earlier draft from David Callaham (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).
The film’s story centers on a young Prince Adam who crashes on Earth as a child, separated from his magical Power Sword, the key to his home on Eternia. Years later, he rediscovers it and is transported back across the stars to face Skeletor and embrace his destiny as He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe.
Masters of the Universe is scheduled to hit theaters on June 5, 2026.