The upcoming Masters of the Universe film helmed by Travis Knight seems to be working hard to faithfully adapt the classic cartoons and characters, and the addition of one figure that did not appear in the 1987 film helps attest to this. While the film is still more than a year away, praise for the Masters of the Universe costumes and designs has already been shared. With great care to faithfully adapt the most beloved elements of the franchise, the new film seems to be setting itself up for great success.

Masters of the Universe is an exciting property to adopt, and the first set images of characters like Teela have helped to ᴀssuage concerns about the look and feel of the characters. Following the reception of the 1987 film, it makes sense that there is some concern about adapting the property. However, many exciting choices around the film’s production seem to attest to the quality of this new take. Drawing directly from the toys and the various animated series that followed, Knight’s Masters of the Universe is giving confidence to even the most uncertain of audiences.

2026’s Masters Of The Universe Includes A Lot Of He-Man Characters, Including Trap Jaw

From Man-at-Arms To Skeletor, The New Film Features Many Familiar Faces

Based on the Mattel toy line of the same name, Masters of the Universe as a franchise contains so many interesting and colorful characters, and it seems to be a priority for the new film to feature as many of these as possible. While the first set pH๏τos from Masters of the Universe caused some concern over Adam’s design, more recent images and details have alleviated that concern. With faithful costumes and a colorful cast of characters, the new film faithfully replicates the origins of the franchise, as attested to by the inclusion of Trap Jaw in the new film.

While characters like Skeletor and He-Man are absolutely essential to the story of Masters of the Universe, it’s comforting that the cast of the new film has also been confirmed to feature so many other familiar faces. The inclusion of Man-at-Arms, Evil-Lyn, and even Fisto is thrilling, but the other villains cast alongside Jared Leto’s Skeletor are some of the most exciting inclusions. These include Hafthor Bjornsson as Goat Man, Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops, and Sam C. Wilson as the cyborg Trap Jaw.

Dolph Lundgren’s Masters Of The Universe Movie Replaced Trap Jaw With Karg

The Movie Used An Original Character As It Was Becoming Overstuffed

The original 1987 Masters of the Universe was originally supposed to feature the character Trap Jaw. A foe who is excellent with weaponry, Trap Jaw may not be the smartest Masters of the Universe villain, but he has certainly worked as an excellent threat to Prince Adam over the years. Featuring an unusual green design, Trap Jaw has appeared in all kinds of Masters of the Universe projects, including toys, comics, and the various iterations of the animated series.

Following this, it is surprising that Trap Jaw did not feature in the 1987 Dolph Lundgren film. Trap Jaw was actually planned to be a threat in the film. However, after all the designs that had to be put together at great cost, and the already large and colorful cast of villains, the film decided to fulfill his role with Karg, an original character, instead. This allowed the story to keep the focus on villains like Skeletor, rather than allowing these other characters to take an outsized place in the story.

New Masters Of The Universe Movie Utilizing Trap Jaw Shows The Movie’s Love For The Source Material

The New Film Seems To Be Putting A Great Emphasis On Adapting The Material Faithfully

While there have been some concerns about 2026’s Masters of the Universe, it is looking more and more like the new film has a great appreciation for the source material. The CinemaCon update on Masters of the Universe gave the best look yet at the designs for the film, which all seemed to be surprisingly accurate to the original toys and cartoons. Bringing in Trap Jaw, especially after his absence from the 1987 film, only attests further to the importance of the source material to this new iteration.

With a great cast and so many colorful and compelling characters, the new film certainly looks as if it is attempting to be as true to the origins of Masters of the Universe as possible. Bringing in strong performers, including Nicholas Galitzine, Camilla Mendes, Idris Elba, and Leto, only further attests to the pᴀssion and strength behind this project. While Trap Jaw is only a minor character within this larger cast, his inclusion in the film helps to highlight the importance of bringing in as much from the original material as possible.

It remains to be seen if Masters of the Universe will connect when it is released next year. The heyday of the property seems to be long past, although there are many who remember the cartoons and even the earlier film fondly. The new project certainly has the potential to draw in a large audience with its exciting and colorful approach to space fantasy, which could draw comparisons to both Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. Hopefully, the dedication to adapting the material faithfully pays off for everyone.

Masters of the Universe is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and will release on June 5, 2026.