After spending two decades in development hell, the live-action He-Man movie is moving ahead with Nicholas Galitzine as the titular barbarian.
According to Variety, Galitzine will play He-Man, a popular Mattel action figure turned TV and comic book hero, in the officially greenlit Masters of the Universe movie. Travis Knight (Bumblebee) is set to direct.
He-Man, a barbarian from Eternian tribe and defender of Castle Grayskull, first appeared on shelves and in comics in 1981. An animated TV show, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, hit the small screen in 1983. The first live-action feature-length adaptation was released in 1987 with Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as his nemesis Skeletor. Oddly enough, She-Ra, who is arguably the second-most-popular hero in Masters of the Universe, was cut from the film.
"We’re thrilled to bring the beloved ‘Masters of the Universe’ to life and couldn’t be more excited to announce the immensely talented Nicholas Galitzine as our He-Man," Julie Rapaport, head of film production and development at Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement. "This reintroduction of the character and his universe will be an epic film that will delight audiences from here to Eternia."
Galitzine recently starred in the romantic comedies Red, White, and Royal Blue and The Idea of You, both based on popular YA books of the same name. The actor also starred alongside Julianne Moore in the steamy historical drama Mary and George.
Masters of the Universe is set for a June 5, 2026 release date. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond.
