A new live-action Masters of the Universe movie is in the works, and it should be able to easily improve on Dolph Lundgren’s original live-action movie in one key way. While the prospect of a live-action Masters of the Universe movie is exciting, it isn’t unique, as one was already made and released in 1987. While the film was critically panned, it does have some redeeming qualities. However, the 2026 Masters of the Universe film should be able to easily outdo even the 1987 film’s best qualities, creating the ultimate He-Man movie.
Kubo and the Two Strings and Bumblebee director Travis Knight is bringing the world of He-Man to live once again, with him directing the 2026 live-action Masters of the Universe movie. The film, which is set to be released by Amazon MGM Studios on June 5, 2026, will star Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man and Camila Mendes as Teela, with the villainous Skeletor being played by Jared Leto. The talented cast and crew of Masters of the Universe sets the film up to be much better than its predecessor, something that many fans are hopeful for.
1987’s Masters Of The Universe Had Strong VFX Work For The Time
Although Some Elements Don’t Hold Up
Despite receiving incredibly negative reviews, the 1987 Masters of the Universe film excelled at one thing: VFX. The film has surprisingly intricate effects, with a particular highlight being the costume and makeup design. The movie manages to accurately bring tons of characters from the animated series to life, with the weird and wacky creatures from Masters of the Universe each having complicated adaptations. The film had a $22 million budget, much of which went to bringing the world of Masters of the Universe to life.
Unfortunately, a lot of the film’s VFX don’t hold up. Compared to modern practical and digital effects, 1987’s Masters of the Universe looks pretty fake, creating a campy vibe that causes some viewers to enjoy the film ironically. The visuals of Masters of the Universe undoubtedly have a lot of artistry behind them, but the wacky character design makes it difficult for the complicated effects to still look good nearly 40 years later.
2026’s Masters Of The Universe Movie Will Have Vastly Improved Visual Effects
Thanks To Four Decades Of Improvements
Luckily, 2026’s Masters of the Universe has the benefit of utilizing 40 years of VFX improvements. Visual effects have only gotten better since 1987’s Masters of the Universe was filmed, meaning that the upcoming reboot will undoubtedly look a lot better. Although visual effects are seen less often than CGI, they have still gotten better, meaning that Masters of the Universe could go down this path. The reported $200 million budget for the reboot will also help with this, allowing even more intricate character designs to be brought to life.
Even if Masters of the Universe doesn’t rely on practical effects, it has the benefit of using CGI. The original film was made during the early days of computer effects, meaning that the vast majority of the 1987 adaptation relied on practical effects. While practical effects can look better than CGI, this isn’t the case in the 1987 Masters of the Universe. The 2026 film could create computer effects that look far better than what was seen in the 1987 original, making the world of Eternia look even more real.
Masters Of The Universe’s New Movie Needs To Avoid A VFX Problem The Original Avoided
It Didn’t Have To Rely On CGI
Although 2026’s Masters of the Universe will probably use CGI, it needs to avoid it as much as possible. The charm of the original 1987 film is the movie’s usage of practical effects, as it is always fun to see actors wearing real silly costumes and interacting with goofy props. 2026’s Masters of the Universe can adapt the campy vibe of the original animated series by relying on practical effects, while also paying its respects to its predecessor. However, it will be impossible to know how the films’ effects look until Masters of the Universe is released in 2026.
