Masters Of The Universe Gets Positive First Reactions; Jared Leto's Skeletor Said To Steal The Show

Masters of the Universe arrives in theatres early next month, and it sounds like the movie does indeed have the power!

The first social media reactions have landed following the movie's world premiere in LA last night, and fans will be pleased to hear that they are mostly very positive.

We had heard that the live-action reboot went over well at test screenings, and it sounds like director Travis Knight and his cast have managed to pull off a crowd-pleasing take on the beloved '80s animated series, capturing the Saturday morning cartoon vibe while striking a successful balance of action, comedy, and sci-fi/fantasy adventure.

A couple of these reactions do lean more negative (MOTU is said to be a bit too silly for its own good at times), but the majority of critics who attended the premiere seemed to have a great time with the movie.

Jared Leto's Skeletor is mentioned as a standout (somewhat surprisingly after the backlash to his casting), and Nicholas Galitzine also comes in for a lot of praise in the lead role of Prince Adam, aka He-Man.

Have a read through the reactions below (we'll update as more come in), and check out the latest TV spot featuring new footage of Skeletor.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is a hell of a lot of fun. Nicholas Galitzine brings a sweetness to Adam Glenn that makes his take on He-Man memorable and also a fascinating take on masculinity. Fun, fun, fun and features The Man by The Killers so I was IN! pic.twitter.com/6misEcxupu

— Rachel Leishman (@RachelLeishman) May 19, 2026

I LOVED #MastersoftheUniverse! Both a love-letter to all things He-Man and a beautiful, bombastic fantasy/sci-fi crowd pleaser that wears its heart on its sleeve. It’s insane this movie exists but I’m so happy it does. I had the biggest smile on my face the whole way through. pic.twitter.com/ZeHwvhBtAk

— Chris Killian (@chriskillian) May 19, 2026

MASTER'S OF THE UNIVERSE is literally a Saturday morning cartoon come to life.
Not for me, but I imagine fans will be highly pleased.#MastersOfTheUniverse pic.twitter.com/VFnOobKXe3

— Brandon Norwood (@bjntweets) May 19, 2026

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: Travis Knight goes 2-for-2 in revitalizing 80s properties with his animation skillset. Similar to BUMBLEBEE it's like watching a kid play with his toys and actually show he got some imagination to his storytelling.

A thoroughly fun action blockbuster… pic.twitter.com/xTy1Auxg0T

— Rendy Jones (@rendy_jones) May 19, 2026

More #MastersoftheUniverse thoughts... This movie is perhaps one of the best examples of flawless practical effects, creature work, and make-up design, which seamlessly blends with the work done by the visual effects team to build upon that effort and make it even better.…

— Maggie Lovitt (@maggieofthetown) May 19, 2026

#MastersofTheUniverse is any 80s kids dream come true. It's campy in the absolute BEST way possible. The call backs to the series are incredible and beautifully nostalgic. I love that this cast goes all in and shows what made the original such a classic. Leto's Skeletor NAILS IT pic.twitter.com/aZzPcvnCwN

— Junior Felix (@JuniorFett) May 19, 2026

#MastersOfTheUniverse’s shaggy charms worked on me. A colossally epic time. Has a GOTG-style, self-aware tone & a radical message at its core. Nicholas Galitzine & Camila Mendes nailed it. @DANIELPEMBERTON’s rock score (w/ assist by Brian May) hits so good. Stay thru the credits! pic.twitter.com/yTVUYD4b60

— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) May 19, 2026

#MastersOfTheUniverse has THE POWER! It genuinely feels like a Saturday morning cartoon come to life on the big screen. It’s colourful, vibrant, action-packed, and leans very hard into its cartoonish nature.

It feels made for those who grew up with the characters in the 80s and… pic.twitter.com/txbyoiEzRC

— Nick L’Barrow - Interviews and Reviews (@nicksflicksfix) May 19, 2026

Pains me to say it, but Jared Leto is genuinely unrecognizable and very, VERY good in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE. He and Brie understood the assignment. Skeletor and Evil-Lyn steal the whole damn thing. pic.twitter.com/O31oQQHNKh

— Griffin Schiller (@griffschiller) May 19, 2026

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE is shockingly good. The action, the comedy, the drama: it all works. But above all else this movie looks amazing. There was one chase scene in particular where I kept doing a double take because of crisp and clear it looked compared to most modern movies pic.twitter.com/9I3oMR8Dx1

— Jake (@jacobkleinman) May 19, 2026

#MastersoftheUniverse has a very fun, weird, yet enjoyable last 20 minutes or so. As for the rest of the movie? It’s a mess. Serious played for laughs, laughs played for emotion, it works, it doesn’t, it really tries but ends up being too awkward. Great end credits scenes though. pic.twitter.com/IINjM5uS84

— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) May 19, 2026

Bound to be one of the biggest surprises of 2026 for me — I loved MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

I'm a huge fan of a lot of the folks involved, but it was never really my thing growing up and I kind of assumed the same would be true now. Also, based on what I do know of the source… pic.twitter.com/u0ecHjbWgM

— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) May 19, 2026

I HAVE THE POWER to tell you that #MastersOfTheUniverse is what happens when you watch the cartoon, grab your action figures, & make your own adventure. An absolute blast, laugh out loud funny, and a Fisto-powered punch of heart. I loved it. Everything you could want. pic.twitter.com/jxQWVvknwx

— BJ Colangelo (@bjcolangelo) May 19, 2026

Masters of the Universe is everything this ’80s kid wanted and more. It’s gloriously campy, wildly entertaining, and nonstop fun from beginning to end. Travis Knight completely understood the assignment and delivered exactly what fans of this franchise have been waiting for.… pic.twitter.com/QrbYzSO1oO

— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) May 19, 2026

Masters of The Universe - TV Spot 3 pic.twitter.com/dBjFsB0GP3

— The Beyond Reporter (@BeyondReporter_) May 18, 2026

According to an updated synopsis, "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." 

Masters of the Universe stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam/He-Man, 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 Adam's parents, King Randor and Queen Marlena. Alison Brie will also feature as Skeletor's second-in-command, Evil-Lyn.

Sam C. Wilson will play Trap Jaw, with Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops, and Kristin Wiig recently joined the cast as the voice of Roboto.

Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will produce, along with DeVon Franklin.

The story follows “10-year-old Prince Adam who crashed to Earth in a spaceship and was separated from his magical Power Sword—the only link to his home on Eternia. After tracking it down almost two decades later, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor. But to defeat such a powerful villain, Prince Adam will first need to uncover the mysteries of his past and become He-Man: the most powerful man in the Universe!”

Masters of the Universe is set to hit theaters on June 5, 2026.