Masters of the Universe has taken an unexpected second run at success. After a disappointing cinema performance, the $170 million live-action fantasy has remained among Prime Video’s top 10 titles for 21 days in the United States.
The result highlights how streaming can give a film a much longer life than its initial box-office figures suggest. The movie earned $113.8 million worldwide, but its performance on Prime Video indicates that interest in the He-Man property was not absent; many potential viewers may simply have waited to watch at home.
A box-office disappointment becomes a streaming draw
Directed by Travis Knight and released by Amazon MGM Studios, Masters of the Universe reworks the classic Mattel property as a large-scale science-fiction fantasy adventure. Prime Video rankings tracked by FlixPatrol show the film’s unusually durable run in the service’s US top 10.
Its reception has also been stronger than the theatrical result might imply. The film currently holds a 67% critics’ score and an 86% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Those figures suggest a mixed but broadly positive response, particularly among viewers already familiar with the source material.
What is the new Masters of the Universe film about?
The story begins with Prince Adam, played by Nicholas Galitzine, fleeing Eternia as a child after Skeletor, portrayed by Jared Leto, takes control of the kingdom. Adam spends the next decade on Earth, where he becomes a young man working an unfulfilling job in human resources.
His life changes when he recovers the Sword of Power. Adam then returns to Eternia and takes up the fight to reclaim his home and challenge Skeletor’s rule.
A long-running action-figure legacy
Mattel introduced the He-Man toy line in the early 1980s. The character quickly became one of the era’s most recognisable action figures, followed by the popular animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
The franchise later reached cinemas in the 1987 live-action film starring Dolph Lundgren. That history gives the new production a sizeable pop-culture legacy to draw from, even as Knight presents Eternia through a more colourful and expansive modern fantasy style.
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Could a sequel happen?
The film’s streaming performance may help determine whether the franchise continues, although its Prime Video momentum does not automatically guarantee another big-screen instalment. The theatrical run fell well short of the production’s $170 million budget, while the later home-viewing response has been considerably more encouraging.
Knight has said he would be happy to return for a sequel, but that decision ultimately depends on audience demand. The film’s post-credits sequence keeps the possibility open by teasing She-Ra, giving Amazon MGM Studios a clear direction for a potential follow-up.
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The streaming turnaround matters
Masters of the Universe is another example of a film finding its audience after cinemas failed to deliver the expected result. Its 21-day Prime Video top-10 run cannot erase the box-office shortfall, but it does show that a theatrical miss is not necessarily the final word for a franchise built on decades of fan interest.
Whether that renewed attention leads to She-Ra, a direct sequel or simply a stronger afterlife for this adaptation remains undecided. For now, the film’s most significant victory is its ability to keep viewers returning to Eternia from home.
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