The Masters of the Universe treats itself to a stunning last-minute surprise that aligns with its early positive buzz.
The nostalgia for the 1980s is starting to run its course, especially when rebooting franchises that fail to spark interest among younger audiences. While films by former YouTubers (Backrooms, Obsession) are tearing up the box office, The Masters of the Universe has, from its earliest announcements, read as a bold risk. The adventures of He-Man, venturing to save the kingdom of Eternia from Skeletor’s grip, enlisted director Travis Knight—renowned for his Laika pedigree (Kubo and the Two Strings) and for Bumblebee. Still, it wasn’t clear that would be enough to draw crowds beneath the glossy veneer.
Moreover, its studio, Amazon MGM, which had pledged to release the majority of its productions theatrically, chose to limit this reboot to Prime Video in France, despite its blockbuster-ready scale (a budget of around $170 million). Yet, as its U.S. release on June 5 nears, the hype is climbing, as evidenced by this stunning last-minute surprise.
The Masters of IMAX
Indeed, The Masters of the Universe is set to receive an IMAX release, something not originally planned. If the film hoped to ride the support of other premium formats (including Dolby and 4DX), it would have had to forgo the flagship brand of the format. For reference, IMAX now prioritizes productions shot with its own cameras or those bearing its label, so they can be projected with the corresponding aspect ratios (1.43:1 or 1.90:1). There is thus an exclusivity calendar, hence the skirmish between Dune 3 and Avengers: Doomsday, both releasing on December 16, with Dune having locked in its IMAX slot before Marvel.
Why this late addition? Apparently, we should thank Star Wars, since the increasingly evident commercial faltering of The Mandalorian and Grogu would push IMAX to pull screens after only two weeks. A tough blow for one of the year’s most marketed films around the format, even if this opening benefits our friend He-Man.
But this may not be the only reason. If The Masters of the Universe is unlikely to become a genuine box-office hit given its budget, its critical reception could still give it wings. Early responses have been as surprising as they are positive, to the point where projections for its opening weekend have climbed from $25 million to $35 million. That figure isn’t earth-shattering for a movie of this scale, and yet recent standouts like Obsession have reminded us of the enduring value of word-of-mouth.
On the France side, no Prime Video release date has yet been confirmed…
