Masters of the Universe **** (1987, Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Meg Foster, Billy Barty, Courteney Cox) – Classic Movie Review 7,028

The 1987 sci-fi fantasy action adventure film Masters of the Universe stars the Scandinavian super-hunk Dolph Lundgren, who gets a grand chance to flex his muscles as comic-strip heroic warrior hero He-Man.

Director Gary Goddard’s 1987 sci-fi fantasy action adventure film Masters of the Universe stars the Scandinavian super-hunk Dolph Lundgren, who gets a grand chance to flex his muscles as comic-strip heroic warrior hero He-Man, who arrives on our planet to find the key to the universe which has been filched by the dreaded evil lord Skeletor (Frank Langella) and his armies of darkness.

Meg Foster plays Skeletor’s second-in-command Evil-Lyn, and Billy Barty plays Gwildor, the Thenurian locksmith who invented the Cosmic Key that can open a portal to anywhere by using musical notes. The Key was stolen by Evil-Lyn, allowing Skeletor to breach Castle Grayskull, the centre of power in the universe. The Key is discovered by two California teenagers – the orphaned high-school graduate Julie Winston (Courteney Cox) and her boyfriend, aspiring musician Kevin Corrigan (Robert Duncan McNeill).

Meg Foster plays Evil-Lyn.

Masters of the Universe is enormously good, fast-paced, crowd-pleasing fun for older children and adults who enjoy simple sci-fi entertainment. It is helped tremendously by the wholehearted, full-on performances from Lundgren and Langella, especially in their final battle for control of Castle Grayskull and ultimate supremacy, and director Goddard does a very decent job of bringing the toy and cartoon characters to the screen. Also there is a surprisingly good production from cash-troubled Cannon Films, with effective if simple costumes, special make-up and trick work.

It is rated PG for science fiction action violence and mild language. It runs 106 minutes but the TV version is trimmed for violence, though it may be still scary for younger children, who might be frightened by Skeletor, especially in the post-end credits scene where he comes out of red water in a bottomless pit.

Also in the cast are Billy Barty as Gwildor, Courteney Cox as Julie Winston, James Tolkan as Detective Lubic, Jon Cypher as Man-at-Arms Duncan, Christina Pickles as sorceress of Castle Grayskull, Chelsea Field, Robert Duncan McNeil, Robert Travers, Barry Livingston, Anthony DeLongis and Tony Carroll.

It was released in US cinemas on August 7, 1987, but flopped, grossing $17 million worldwide against a budget of $22 million.

It was preceded in 1985 by the first He-Man/ Masters of the Universe movie, the animated The Secret of the Sword.

Masters of the Universe is directed by Gary Goddard, runs 106 minutes, is made by Golan-Globus Productions, Edward R Pressman Film, Cannon Films, and released by Cannon Films, is written by David Odell, is shot by Hanania Baer, is produced by Menahem Golan, Yoram Globus and Edward R Pressman, is scored by Bill Conti, and is designed by William Stout.

Yoram Globus announced a sequel, Masters of the Universe 2, at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival despite Lundgren’s refusal to reprise the role, choosing instead chose to star in Cannon’s Red Scorpion (1989). But the project was cancelled because of Cannon’s financial troubles. Using the sets and costumes prepared for the sequel, Cannon produced the low-budget Jean-Claude Van Damme movie Cyborg (1989).

In May 2018, rumoured plot and character details for a Masters of the Universe reboot were revealed. Are He-Man and Skeletor brothers in the reboot?

On 17 July 2023, it was announced that the live-action movie Masters of the Universe based on He-Man and other popular Mattel toys was cancelled at Netflix. Up to $30 million was spent on development costs and to hold on to talent – like lead Kyle Allen and the directing duo Adam and Aaron Nee (“The Lost City”).

However, In May 2024, the rights were bought by Amazon MGM Studios, with Travis Knight replacing the Nee Brothers and Nicholas Galitzine replacing Kyle Allen. Principal photography took place in London, England, from January to June 2025.

Masters of the Universe releases in North America on June 5, 2026.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7,028

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