Next year’s Masters of the Universe will finally deliver on a detail that was promised in the 1987 Dolph Lundgren-starring original. The upcoming Masters of the Universe is directed by Travis Knight and will see a new iteration of He-Man taking on the evil forces of the Horde alongside characters like Teela and Man-At-Arms.
Everything known about the new movie suggests that it will be incredibly faithful to the source material. All kinds of colorful Masters of the Universe characters have been cast, including Fisto and Trap Jaw. Seeing these realized in a big-budget film is one of the most promising features of the upcoming film.
While not everyone loved 1987’s Jack Kirby-inspired Masters of the Universe, the ending of that movie made a promise to audiences of what would come next. Unfortunately, that has not yet been realized. Fortunately, new details about the upcoming reboot suggest that this prophecy will finally be fulfilled in 2026.
1987’s Masters Of The Universe Promised That Skeletor Would Return
The Movie Saw Frank Langella In A Post-Credit Scene
The ending of Masters of the Universe featured a post-credit scene. In this short clip, Skeletor is seen in a pool of water, with only his face shown. He looks to the camera and ᴀsserts, “I’ll be back.“ A sequel was planned, but due to financial issues at Cannon Films and poor performance of the movie, it was canceled.
Unfortunately, this has led to this sequence never being fulfilled. Skeletor is an iconic villain, and it is disappointing that more has not been seen of the character on the big screen. With a terrifying design and twisted goals and methods, audiences have been waiting for Skeletor’s return to theaters in the intervening years.
Amazon’s Masters Of The Universe Movie Is Bringing Skeletor Back In A New Way
The Reboot Will See A New Star Take On The Role
Fortunately, Skeletor will finally return in 2026. While Frank Langella will not return to play the villain, as this is a new iteration with new performers, Skeletor will have the chance to be a major threat in the next theatrical release. He will be played in the new Masters of the Universe by Jared Leto.
Skeletor was created by Mattel designer Mark Taylor, and has been the primary antagonist of He-Man since 1981.
Leto is a strong and dynamic actor and should bring an excellent, fearsome energy to the famous character. This will only be the second live-action iteration of Skeletor, and tons of material can be pulled from comics, toys, and animation to make him fearsome and terrifying.
It is a relief that Skeletor will finally return, even if it will be a different version of the famous villain. Fulfilling the promises made in the 1987 films can allow Masters of the Universe to feel fresh while honoring what came before. The return of Skeletor is one of the most exciting cinematic prospects of 2026.
