Mattel Exec “Blown Away” by Early MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Director’s Cut
Mattel is charging full speed into the world of cinematic universes, and the next big adventure comes with Masters of the Universe, a live-action reboot that promises to bring the power of Eternia to the big screen in a massive way.
With Barbie breaking records and redefining what toy-based storytelling can look like, all eyes are now on He-Man and Skeletor to see if lightning can strike twice. According to Mattel Studios’ Robbie Brenner, the early results are very promising.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Mattel Studios President and Chief Content Officer offered a glowing reaction after screening a Director’s Cut of Masters of the Universe, calling the film “so much fun” and “a perfect compliment to Barbie.” Her verdict? She was “blown away.”
“I went and visited the set last year, and out of all the movies that I’ve worked on in my entire life — even Barbie — it was [the biggest]. It was massive,” Brenner said.
“I think we took over two or three sound stages. This was on eight back lots. [Characters] walking around that are eight feet tall. There are these crazy characters in this movie.”
That scale is no surprise, after all, this is He-Man we’re talking about here, and the film is being helmed by Bumblebee director Travis Knight, with a star-studded cast led by Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man and Jared Leto stepping into the iconic skull of Skeletor.
Other key cast members include Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Idris Elba as Man-at-Arms. The ensemble gets even deeper with Sam C. Wilson, Kojo Attah, Hafthor Bjornsson, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, and Jon Xue Zhang bringing more fan-favorite characters to life.
While Masters of the Universe is obviously carrying big expectations, Brenner made it clear that Mattel isn’t trying to replicate the Barbie formula, but rather carve out a unique path for each property.
“I think people realise, ‘Okay, Mattel is here.’ We’re a force. Everything is not going to be Barbie, but at the same time, we mean business.
“We want to tell great stories,” she explained. “I don’t feel any sort of impediments. I feel like we just have [an] incredible opportunity with all of this IP.”
With Amazon MGM backing the project and Mattel fully committed to building out its cinematic universe, Masters of the Universe has the potential to launch a new era of big-screen adventures in Eternia.
Now that Mattel Studios has film and television working as one ecosystem, Brenner sees the future wide open.
“Now, with Mattel Studios having television and film sit under one umbrella and one ecosystem, there [are] endless possibilities.”
I’m not very optimistic about Masters of the Universe. I love this franchise, but I just don’t know if it’s actually going to deliver the goods. But, I hope the movie surprises me and is better than I’m expecting it to be.
That future may hinge on how audiences respond to Masters of the Universe when it hits theaters on June 5, 2026.