Missing He-Man Character Could Return in Masters of the Universe, Righting a 39 Year Injustice

With the upcoming release of Masters of the Universe, the live-action movie is potentially set to redeem some of the franchise’s earlier cinematic wrongs. Starring Nicholas Galitzine as the iconic hero He-Man and Jared Leto as the villainous Skeletor, Masters of the Universe‘s marketing has begun ramping up ahead of its June 5 release. First looks at Masters of the Universe proved exciting, with later announcements only adding to the anticipation surrounding the movie as more details were revealed. It is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting blockbuster releases of 2026, rebooting the beloved franchise for a new generation.

While the trailer for Masters of the Universe confirmed the return of several fan-favorite characters, there are now indications that another as-yet unannounced figure will return. Reputable fan site He-Mania has reported that Orko will make an appearance in the upcoming movie, noting that he is only featured briefly but that fans will likely be excited to see him appear in live-action. This excitement references the 1987 movie Masters of the Universe, which notably left out Orko in favor of the debut of Gwildor, a dwarf-like troll character that failed to win over much of the movie’s audience. However, it seems that the reboot is set to right that wrong.

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Orko’s 1987 Absence Was An Insult to the Character

Orko was first introduced, as with the majority of the franchise’s characters, in the initial Mattel line of action figures and accompanying mini-comics. He was also featured in the comic book series and became a fan favorite after appearing in Filmation’s iconic He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated show. However, when it came time for the 1987 live-action movie, Orko was nowhere to be found.

It is widely reported that Orko was left out of the 1987 Masters of the Universe movie due to limitations involving bringing a flying, magical character to life in live-action. The limited technology of the 1980s made doing so visually risky and potentially very costly, so the character of Gwildor was instead written to play the role of the diminutive comic relief. Reactions to Gwildor were mixed at best, and fans of Orko felt decidedly short-changed by his absence.

However, the report from He-Mania indicates that the reboot will right that 39-year-old wrong by featuring Orko, even if in a minor role. Whether the report can be taken as truth is debatable, but it does seem an encouraging sign that a reputable fan site would so confidently announce Orko’s return. While fans will likely have to wait for the movie’s release to find out whether Orko will feature, it’s yet another indication of just how exciting the 2026 Masters of the Universe reboot is set to be.

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