- - See the Original 1987 “Masters of the Universe” Cast Side-by-Side with the Stars of the 2026 Remake

Emily BlackwoodJanuary 23, 2026 at 5:30 AM

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Dolph Lundgren in 'Masters of the Universe' (1987) ; Nicholas Galitzine in 'Masters of the Universe' (2026). -

Masters of the Universe premiered in 1987 as the first live-action movie based on Mattel’s popular toy franchise

It starred Dolph Lundgren as the iconic superhero He-Man

A reboot of the sword and sorcery film will premiere in theaters on June 5, 2026, with Nicholas Galitzine stepping into the lead role

He-Man made his big-screen debut in the 1987 cult-classic film Masters of the Universe.

In the nearly 40 years since, there have been repeated attempts to revive the ’80s superhero for live action. But nothing moved forward — until Amazon MGM Studios picked up the film rights to work with Mattel Films in May 2024, per Variety.

Masters of the Universe is set to hit the big screen on June 5, 2026, with Nicolas Galitzine playing He-Man, also known as Prince Adam, who is drawn back to Eternia after nearly 20 years away, only to find his home overtaken by Skeletor’s ruthless rule.

"To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela and Duncan/Man-At-Arms and embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe," the official synopsis reads.

Ready to return to Eternia? See the original Masters of the Universe cast side by side with the new stars below.

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He-Man: Dolph Lundgren and Nicholas Galitzine

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Dolph Lundgren in 'Masters of the Universe' (1987) ; Nicholas Galitzine in 'Masters of the Universe' (2026).

Dolph Lundgren was the first actor to star as He-Man in the 1987 flick. The Swedish actor and martial artist was an action movie staple throughout the '80s and '90s, starring in films like The Punisher and Showdown in Little Tokyo. However, Lundgren is probably best known for his breakout role in Rocky IV, which he reprised in the 2018 film Creed II.

After popular performances in The Idea of You and Red, White & Royal Blue, Galitzine was tapped to play He-Man in the 2026 reboot. He told PEOPLE in December 2025 that bulking up for the role was "the hardest thing" he's ever done.

"But there is something incredibly empowering about committing to something so heavily," he said. "I've never had a challenge like that before, which really every single day you have to wake up and you can see the peak of the mountain vaguely, but especially when you're bulking. I think it would be insincere for me to say that it was easy."

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Teela: Chelsea Field and Camila Mendes

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Chelsea Field in 'Masters of the Universe' (1987) ; Camila Mendes in 'Masters of the Universe' (2026).

Teela, He-Man's fierce Captain of the Guards, was originally played by Chelsea Field. After that breakout role, she went on to appear in films like Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man and The Last Boy Scout, as well as series like Nightingales and NCIS: New Orleans.

Riverdale star Camila Mendes joined the Masters of the Universe cast as Teela in August 2024, per Deadline. Since her seven-season run on the hit CW teen drama, the actress has starred in films like Do Revenge and Upgraded.

Like her costar, Mendes has spoken about the physicality required for her latest role.

“I had always dreamed of doing a project like that," she told Deadline in October 2025. "I had always known I wanted to do a superhero movie at one point. I like to work out, I’m into fitness, and I’m like, ‘I really want to do something where I get to use that part of myself.' "

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Skeletor: Frank Langella and Jared Leto

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Frank Langella in 'Masters of the Universe' (1987) ; Jared Leto in 'Masters of the Universe' (2026).

After his performance as evil leader Skeletor in the original Masters of the Universe, Frank Langella went on to star in films like Frost/Nixon and The Trial of the Chicago 7 and series like The Americans.

Jared Leto will take over the villain's role in the 2026 film. In addition to acting in major films like Morbius, Dallas Buyers Club and Suicide Squad, he's also released music as the frontman of the band Thirty Seconds to Mars.

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Evil-Lyn: Meg Foster and Alison Brie

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Meg Foster in 'Masters of the Universe' (1987) ; Alison Brie attends the 83rd annual Golden Globe Awards on January 11, 2026 in Beverly Hills, California.

Meg Foster originated the live-action role of Evil Lyn — one of Skeletor's sinister sorceresses — in the 1987 movie. She continued to appear in supernatural movies like The Live and Leviathan and even had a guest role on Pretty Little Liars.

In September 2024, Alison Brie joined the cast in the key villain role as Skeletor's second-in-command, per The Hollywood Reporter. In addition to her beloved roles in GLOW and Community, she's acted in movies like Promising Young Woman, Horse Girl and Together, a role opposite her real-life husband, Dave Franco.

Nearly a year after being cast, Brie teased in a July 2025 interview with Collider that the movie would stick to its campy roots, despite rumors that it would be more serious.

“Who said it’s leaning a little more serious?” Brie said. “I don’t think they know as much as they think they know. That’s all I’m gonna say."

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Man-At-Arms: Jon Cypher and Idris Elba

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Jon Cypher in 'Masters of the Universe' (1987) ; Idris Elba in 'Masters of the Universe' (2026).

He-Man's inventive lieutenant was portrayed by Jon Cypher in the first live-action film. Already a long-time actor, he was also known for his roles in Spontaneous Combustion and the long-running series Major Dad.

Idris Elba will play the Man-At-Arms (also known as Duncan) in the 2026 Masters of the Universe movie. The Luther alum is no stranger to superhero franchises, having appeared in the Thor movies and The Suicide Squad in 2021.

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Sorceress of Castle Grayskull: Christina Pickles and Morena Baccarin

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Christina Pickles in 'Masters of the Universe' (1987) ; Morena Baccarin attends the "Deep Cover" Premiere on June 04, 2025 in London, England.

In 1987, Christina Pickles played the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull. The English actress has since continued to appear in multiple TV and film projects — including playing Monica (Courteney Cox) and Ross' (David Schwimmer) mom, Judy Geller, on Friends. She won her first Emmy in 2018 for her short series Break A Hip.

Morena Baccarin — best known for her roles in Deadpool and Serenity — will take over the role for the 2026 film.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”