Masters of the Universe
Amazon MGM Studios | Release Date: June 5, 2026 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
52
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 44 Critic Reviews
Positive:
18
Mixed:
18
Negative:
8

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
60
The RevealKeith PhippsJun 6, 2026
A little of Masters of the Universe’s cheeky awesomeness goes a long way. The film’s 141-minute running time means there’s a lot of Masters of the Universe’s cheeky awesomeness. It’s not exhausting—if anything, the film’s second half improves on its first—but it does grow repetitive. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesAmy NicholsonJun 3, 2026
Obviousness is this film’s handicap — and the main joke. Read full review
60
Screen DailyTim GriersonJun 2, 2026
At nearly two-and-a-half hours, the film ultimately succumbs to blockbuster conventionality and the stifling demands of brand management. But like the timid Adam transforming into the swaggering He-Man, occasionally the picture transcends those confining strictures to become something a little more confident and carefree. Read full review
60
Radio TimesAlan JonesJun 2, 2026
OK, it’s all about cartoon emotions, yawningly obvious culture-clashing, hectic space swashbuckling and, ultimately, selling toys. Yet, Gerwig managed to navigate her way through the Barbie plastic mythology silliness to make potent statements about female solidarity and self-fulfilment. Nothing so inspired is forthcoming here, and considering the brilliance and complexity of Knight’s animated debut feature, 2016’s Kubo and the Two Strings, that’s a major disappointment. Read full review
60
Total FilmJordan FarleyJun 2, 2026
He-Man returns for a derivative, comedy-fuelled action-fantasy that never takes itself seriously, for better or worse. It's much too slow off the mark, but there's infectious affection for the source material and, like him or loathe him, Jared Leto steals the show as Skeletor. Read full review
60
EmpireHelen O'HaraJun 2, 2026
A delightfully silly film for a perfectly stupid franchise. It could have had a few sharper lines and more narrative drive, but this should still win over a new generation of He-fans. Read full review
58
The Film MavenKristen LopezJun 2, 2026
What you see is exactly what you get from Masters of the Universe: a big, bulky action movie that owes its life to Marvel (particularly Thor: Ragnarok). That being said, its colors, vivacity, humor, and heart makes it better than anticipated. Read full review
58
IndieWireDavid EhrlichJun 2, 2026
The characters in “Masters of the Universe” are considerably more fun than the vast CGI world around them, or the weirdly compact adventure that takes them through it (how this movie is 141 minutes long is an even greater mystery than why this movie is 141 minutes long). Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubJesse HassengerJun 2, 2026
The new Masters Of The Universe does not represent the best-case scenario, though if the bar truly is the ’87 version, consider it cleared with room to spare. Read full review
50
StatusBrian LowryJun 5, 2026
Masters of the Universe demonstrates how a few missteps can transform an aspiring blockbuster with appealing elements into a streaming-bound 98-pound weakling. Read full review
50
The Travers TakePeter TraversJun 5, 2026
A better than it should be reboot of a 1980s relic that still falls far short of deserving a hero’s welcome, though He-Man Nicholas Galitzine and scary Skeletor Jared Leto add just the right tone of mocking irreverence. Read full review
50
The Associated PressLindsey BahrJun 2, 2026
The movie might have worked better if it had just gone full Saturday morning cartoon with fewer self-deprecating jokes. But that would have required more conviction about what everyone was making in the first place. Read full review
50
VarietyGuy LodgeJun 2, 2026
It’s a nostalgia trip that never quite belongs to the present, and never rouses any real, cherished memory of the past. Read full review
50
SlashfilmBill BriaJun 2, 2026
Is the film a mostly accurate version of the cartoon, jokey tone intact? Sure, but it also needs to tell a story, and at that, "Masters of the Universe" is powerless. Read full review
40
The GuardianBenjamin LeeJun 2, 2026
You can feel the struggle of trying to cram everything in and even at an unforgivably bloated 143 minutes, it’s both busy and hollow. Read full review
40
The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckJun 2, 2026
Masters of the Universe touches all the fan-serving bases, with a fun cameo by a certain star of a previous film incarnation and enough post-credit sequences to guarantee several sequels. But it all comes off as terribly forced, as if everyone involved was already trying to figure out exactly how much they’ll earn signing autographs at future Comic-Cons. Read full review
40
ScreenCrushMatt SingerJun 2, 2026
In a world where original movies like Obsession and Backrooms are suddenly the hottest films in Hollywood, an expensive spoof of Masters of the Universe already looks nearly as dated as the old He-Man cartoon I watched as a kid. Read full review
40
The TimesKevin MaherJun 2, 2026
The acting is feeble but for a solid turn from Idris Elba as the boozy bodyguard Duncan. The action is jeopardy-free and repetitive. And although the pitiful script, in vague development hell for more than two decades, seems determined to recast He-Man as a delicate, left-leaning protagonist, a finale involving gloriously captured face punches and broken jaws leaves us in no doubt that he remains a two-fisted Trumpian warrior and 1980s to the core. Read full review
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