Prime Video has scored big with their recent remake of a ’80s cult classic, as the 140-minute action fantasy flop is now one of the biggest movies in the world on streaming. Hitting theaters earlier this year, the Nicholas Galitzine-led film only managed to take in $114 million at the box office, which was a far cry from its $170 million budget.
Prime Video’s Sword & Sorcery Action Hit Remakes a Cult Classic
Directed by Travis Knight (Bumblebee) and also starring Idris Elba, Camila Mendes, the problematic Jared Leto, Alison Brie, and Morena Baccarin, Masters of the Universe is based on the popular toyline from Mattel that became an animated series in 1983, and a live-action movie starring Dolph Lundgren and Frank Langella in 1987. Galitzine stars in Amazon’s updated version of the cult classic as Prince Adam, an extraterrestrial of royal lineage who grows up on earth.
Years later, the Sword of Power calls him back to his home planet of Eternia, where he discovers a kingdom on the brink of collapse thanks to the evil Skeletor (Leto). Forced to confront a destiny he never knew existed, Prince Adam transforms into the mighty He-Man. Along with his allies, Teela (Mendes) and Man-At-Arms (Elba), the group battles Skeletor’s fearsome army before he can seize Castle Grayskull’s ancient power.
In addition to its dismal box office performance following its release on June 5, Masters of the Universe wasn’t exactly what you’d call a big hit with critics, either. It holds just a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and has been called everything from a “misfire of an action-adventure movie” to a film that’s “overlong, overloud and completely lacking any subtlety.”
Audiences were much more forgiving of the fantasy action flop, giving it a score of 86%. “Me and my kids loved it,” wrote one viewer. “This was a fun one,” wrote another. “If you grew up in a home with a telephone connected to the wall, you need to see this movie,” added one more satisfied customer, while yet another said it’s “faithful to the Saturday morning cartoons.”
Prime Video Scores Big With ‘Masters of the Universe’
Hitting Prime Video on July 22, Masters of the Universe has found new life on streaming, and is now one of the biggest movies in the world despite bombing at the box office. It’s consistently been in the #1 spot on Amazon’s daily Top 10 list, and now, the company has released a little more data to show just how big it’s really become.
Per Amazon News, Masters of the Universe dominated the competition for the week of July 20–26, coming in first place ahead of the likes of Project Hail Mary, The Sheep Detectives, and the Jason Statham action thriller, A Working Man. Check out the full Top list below.
Rank
Title
1.
Masters of the Universe
2.
Project Hail Mary
3.
The Sheep Detectives
4.
A Working Man
5.
Boulevard
6.
Jack Ryan: Ghost War
7.
Your Fault: London
8.
Playdate
9.
The Beekeeper
10.
The Wrecking Crew
Thus far, the future of the Masters of the Universe franchise remains up in the air, so there’s no word yet on whether a sequel will ever get made. Given its poor box office performance, that seems unlikely, but never say never.
Release Date
June 3, 2026
Runtime
141 minutes
Director
Travis Knight
