Masters of the Universe: First Look at He-Man’s Power Sword Fixes a 40-Year-Old Problem

Next year, Masters of the Universe will finally make its long-awaited return to the big screen, and while we haven’t seen any footage from the project just yet, we did get our first up-close look at two key elements at San Diego Comic-Con. Those who sought out the Castle Grayskull display at Comic-Con got an in-person look at He-Man’s Power Sword and Skeletor’s Havoc Staff, and while they both looked incredibly impressive, the Power Sword in particular showcases how the film is fixing a 40-year-old problem.

The last time He-Man and Skeletor battled it out on the big screen was in the 1987 Masters of the Universe film that featured Dolph Lundgren and Frank Langella in those iconic roles. While the film also featured both the Power Sword and Havoc Staff, only one of those weapons actually looked like the weapon from the animated original, and that was the Havoc Staff.

The Power Sword from the cartoon features a very unique design, with a curved design that extends upward from the guard to the start of the actual blade. It’s unmistakable when you see it, which is why it was curious that the first live-action film changed its design so drastically. Granted, it still looked cool, but it still lacked that magic of the original. You can find the 1987 version below.

That’s all changing for the new live-action film, which brings back the iconic sword design from the animation, but the film is also not fixing things that aren’t broken with its Havoc Staff design. Skeletor’s iconic weapon in the first live-action film looked great, and the newest version looks excellent as well. You can see both versions in the images below.

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We have yet to see the costumes in person, but behind-the-scenes footage was previously shown off earlier this year at Cinemacon, and the word from those who have seen that footage is that the costumes are right in line with the weapons. The original cartoon seems to be a very clear inspiration for the design elements, though obviously, there will be some modern tweaks to things. That said, the authenticity the film seems to be going for is promising, and we can’t wait to actually see these characters gracing the big screen once again.

He-Man himself will be played by Nicholas Galitzine, and the actor posted a photo of his He-Man look after the film wrapped filming. Along with the photo, Galitzine wrote, “Well, that’s a wrap on Masters of the Universe. It has been an honour shouldering the responsibility of playing Adam and He-Man. It’s been the role of a lifetime and I put everything into it. There’s not much I can show you, but I am so proud of the movie we’ve made. Thanks to our amazing cast and crew for all your hard work.”

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

Are you excited for Masters of the Universe? Let us know in the comments, and you can talk all things MOTU and movies with me on Bluesky @knightofoa!