Thus far, the live-action Masters of the Universe movie looks very much like the classic 1980s cartoon come to life. However, of all the reveals we got in the first trailer, there was one notable omission: Orko.
The character, a magical being from the planet Trolla, wasn't originally developed for the franchise's toy line. Instead, he was created by Filmation to provide comic relief in the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated series.
When the show became a hit, Orko got his own action figure and has remained a major part of Masters of the Universe ever since. However, he was missing from the 1987 live-action movie due to budgetary constraints and the challenges that came with creating a believable CGI or puppet character at that time.
In Orko's place was Gwildor (played by Billy Barty), who definitely has his fair share of fans. However, the hope is that the new Masters of the Universe will right the wrongs of the past with Orko's long-awaited live-action debut.
According to He-Mania.com (via Toonado.com), "It takes a while for him to show up, but yes, Orko does in fact appear in the new Masters of the Universe movie. It is a great moment, but [it] doesn’t last extremely long."
It sounds like more of an extended cameo than anything else, but we're sure this news will come as a relief to the longtime He-Man fans among you. As a bonus, we've also included some promo art of the villainous Tri-Klops below for your viewing pleasure.
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.
Written by Chris Butler and Aaron Nee & Adam Nee & Dave Callaham, and directed by Travis Knight, Masters of the Universe stars Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, Jared Leto, and Idris Elba.
Masters of the Universe opens in theaters on June 5, later this year.