Masters of the Universe hopes to have the power of box office potency when it debuts this weekend. As I wrote in my financial prediction post, that could be a challenge. This is the second big screen treatment for the animated series and toy line behind 1987’s dud with Dolph Lundgren as He-Man. Nicholas Galitzine takes over the role almost four decades later with Jared Leto as Skeletor. The supporting cast includes Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Kristin Wiig (providing voiceover work), Morena Baccarin, and Idris Elba. Travis Knight, no stranger to adapting 80s material with Bumblebee, directs.
Several critics are being kind and calling it entertaining summer fluff. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 74%. The 53 Metacritic is more indicative of some negative critical reaction as well. The mid 80s Masters actually received a Razzie nomination in Supporting Actor for Billy Barty. The new Masters probably won’t show up there. With Visual Effects as the only remote possibility, I can’t imagine it showing up at the Academy Awards either. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…