Masters of the Universe is crashing harder than Prince Adam’s sky-sled, but it may not rule out a sequel. The results are in, and Masters of the Universe is officially bombing at the box office. After a disappointing opening weekend, the sword and sorcery action blockbuster dropped by more than 70%. That’s against a $170-200 million budget, which means Travis Knight’s latest film will surely go down as one of the year’s biggest bombs.
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And yet, for all that’s the case, the future of He-Man and his fellow Eternians still looks pretty bright. We’re expecting more Masters of the Universe TV shows, games, and more; there’s even still talk of a sequel. What’s going on with Masters of the Universe‘s box office, and what will it mean for those future plans?
Masters of the Universe Was Always a Hard Sell
Full disclosure: I am most definitely part of Masters of the Universe‘s target audience. I grew up with the show; one of my earliest childhood memories is running down the street on the way to school, imagining myself waving the Sword of Power and turning into He-Man. Last year, I had the privilege of attending a Masters of the Universe set visit, and I was absolutely stunned at what I saw them. I got to hold the Sword of Power for real, in the Castle Grayskull set no less, and I came back home with dirt on my shoes from an Eternian forest. That set visit will go down as one of the fondest memories of my career.
But here’s the catch: if a film is to succeed, it can’t just target 40-year-old men who grew up daydreaming about turning into superheroes. Unfortunately, according to Deadline, that simply hasn’t happened. Here’s what the trade reported after the opening weekend:
“Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel wanted a new generation to discover this movie, but kids under 12 only repped 4% of the audience last night, with the over 35 at 57% still dominant, and the over 45 who grew up on the 1980s animated series at 36%. Sixty-eight percent guys, with dads outnumbering moms, 71% to 29%. And, yes, boys under 12 at 82% are far ahead of girls at 18%.”
In other words, Masters of the Universe is simply too niche to reach general audiences. Other ’80s franchises have renewed themselves through frequent releases, but Masters of the Universe has failed to do so. This is a nostalgia play, aimed directly at a very small demographic. What’s more, that audience – clearly deeply invested – has rushed out to see it. As a result, the box office is front-loaded.
Nostalgia Has Diminishing Returns
There’s a bigger problem, though, one that I think Hollywood is still wrestling with. Nostalgia and franchises have pretty much dominated popular culture since 2008, but we’ve seen a major change over the last five years. MCU blockbusters have stumbled, and now only tentpole superheroes and team-ups are really the draw. Star Wars dined out on nostalgia on Disney+, to diminishing returns, and The Mandalorian and Grogu is unlikely to break even at the box office. Star Trek has ended an 11-year streak, with no new series either greenlit or in production. Even Doctor Who‘s Christmas Special has been cancelled, with the world’s longest-running sci-fi TV show now out to tender.
Meanwhile, a new wave of original films and standalones are flourishing. I first began to notice this trend in 2023, when Christopher Nolan hoped Oppenheimer‘s box office proved we were entering a post-franchise era. Since then, we’ve had hits like Sinners, Weapons, and Project Hail Mary, all underlining the point. It’s not that franchises are dead, per se; rather, it’s that they are not automatically a draw, and modern audiences now seem to be looking for something fresh and new. As much as I love Masters of the Universe, even I have to admit that’s not He-Man.
What Does This Mean For Masters of the Universe?
What does this mean for Amazon’s future plans? Amazon MGM’s domestic distribution chief, Kevin Wilson, issued an upbeat statement after the opening weekend. “[Director] Travis Knight and the entire cast and filmmaking team have delivered something truly special,” he said, “and this opening is exactly the kind of critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy—building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window.” In other words, Amazon view the movie more as downpayment on an investment.
In truth, Amazon will be looking at other metrics. They’ll be interested in rental and streaming engagement, merchandise sales, and other aspects of distribution; these have always been the real ways films made a profit. As narrow as Masters of the Universe‘s target audience may be, this demographic has a lot of spending power. Meanwhile, the hope will be that other relaunches – such as an impending YouTube TV show – will have a greater impact on future generations. None of this guarantees the She-Ra-centered sequel, but it does nonetheless mean this box office isn’t necessarily the end of the road for Masters of the Universe.
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