Masters of the Universe Deserves Better

If you're a longtime Masters of the Universe fan, you've probably already seen the movie. Maybe twice. Maybe three or five times.

That isn't unusual in this fandom.

Jeremy DeWitt and Steve Boshotti of Podcasters of the Universe (POTU) have reportedly seen the film multiple times already, and many dedicated fans are doing the same. But their contribution to the franchise goes far beyond buying movie tickets.

For years, when Masters of the Universe wasn't receiving major theatrical releases or constant media attention, fans like Jeremy and Steve kept the spirit of Eternia alive. Through Podcasters of the Universe, they built a welcoming community where longtime fans and newcomers alike could celebrate the franchise.

Jeremy has often been the creative force behind many of the ideas that helped keep fans engaged. He is an accomplished musician and possesses one of the most recognizable Skeletor impressions in the fandom. It's not trying to imitate someone else's version. It's uniquely Jeremy's own, and longtime listeners know exactly what I'm talking about.

Steve brings a different energy. His booming He-Man voice and enthusiasm for the franchise have become hallmarks of the show. And Steve understands something many outsiders miss about Masters of the Universe. The franchise is wholesome, optimistic, family-friendly, and full of positive messages, but it's also unapologetically sexy.

As Steve likes to say:

"Skies out, thighs out."

And honestly, he's not wrong.

Masters of the Universe has always been filled with larger-than-life heroes, villains, warriors, sorceresses, and adventurers. Muscles. Capes. Armor. Fur boots. Bare arms. Bare legs. Nice butts. Giant swords. Ridiculous confidence.

The funny thing is that the new movie only partially embraces that tradition. He-Man himself gets the classic minimally attired treatment, but most of the other characters were toned down. That's understandable from a Hollywood perspective, but part of the charm of Eternia has always been that everyone looked like they belonged in the same wonderfully over-the-top fantasy world.

One could argue the movie missed an opportunity there.

If you're going to embrace the wild spirit of Masters, embrace it for everyone.

The heroes look heroic.

The villains look villainous.

Everyone looks ready for battle, a bodybuilding competition, or both.

Side note: I wouldn't have complained if He-Man had about 60 more pounds of muscle. Come on, CGI. This was your moment.

That's part of what makes Eternia feel like Eternia.

And somehow, despite all the outrageous designs, Masters remains surprisingly wholesome.

That's one reason the current movie means so much to so many people.

It isn't simply another movie release.

It's the payoff for decades of loyalty.

Which is why the disappointing box office performance so far has been difficult to watch.

What's especially frustrating is seeing other films thrive despite mediocre reviews and weak audience scores while Masters struggles to find an audience. Meanwhile, fans who actually showed up are discovering a movie that embraces adventure, optimism, heroism, and heart.

The film remembers what made Masters special.

At its core, Masters of the Universe has never really been about muscles, swords, or magic castles.

It's about courage.

It's about choosing what's right when it would be easier to choose yourself.

He-Man isn't cynical.

He isn't dark.

He isn't an antihero.

He's a genuinely good person entrusted with incredible power who chooses responsibility over selfishness. In an era where many heroes are morally gray, there is something refreshing about a character who simply wants to protect others.

Kids deserve heroes like that.

Families deserve stories like that.

And perhaps that brings us to a larger question.

What happened to wonder?

Many of us grew up in an era when toys weren't just products.

They were gateways.

A child could pick up a He-Man figure, a Battle Cat, a Castle Grayskull, and spend an entire afternoon creating stories. Entire universes existed in our imaginations.

Today, many children spend more time looking at screens than toy shelves. Many toys struggle to compete with phones, tablets, and endless streams of content. The idea of sitting on the floor creating adventures with action figures feels increasingly rare.

Yet Masters of the Universe still represents something unique.

It invites imagination.

It encourages creativity.

It asks children and adults to build worlds in their minds.

That's one reason the toy line has endured for over forty years.

The remarkable thing is that fans never stopped supporting it.

Mattel continued releasing new versions of the characters through line after line of collectibles.

Masters of the Universe Classics.

Origins.

Masterverse.

Anniversary releases.

Convention exclusives.

Deluxe figures.

Vehicles.

Playsets.

And perhaps most impressively, the premium Mondo line, featuring enormous, highly detailed figures that many fans once thought would never exist.

Have all of them been perfect?

Of course not.

Masters fans have joked for years that getting He-Man's face right may be one of the hardest jobs in the toy industry. Sometimes a figure looked incredible from the neck down, only for the face sculpt to make him appear as though he had undergone questionable cosmetic surgery somewhere in Eternia.

And yet fans kept buying.

Because they weren't simply buying plastic.

They were buying memories.

They were buying possibilities.

They were buying a connection to stories and characters that meant something to them.

I know I was.

Like many fans, I've purchased multiple versions of He-Man, Skeletor, Battle Cat, and countless others over the years.

Not because every figure was perfect.

Because Masters mattered.

And perhaps that's another reason this movie deserves support.

We've supported the cartoons.

We've supported the comics.

We've supported the toys.

We've supported the podcasts.

We've supported the conventions.

We've supported the franchise through years when there was little reason to believe a major theatrical movie would ever happen again.

Now that it finally exists, we'd like to see the story continue.

And there is so much potential.

A second film centered around She-Ra could be exactly what the franchise needs. It would introduce one of the strongest female heroes in fantasy and potentially bring in audiences beyond the Gen X men who largely carried the brand for decades.

She-Ra isn't simply a spin-off.

She's one of the most important characters in the entire mythology.

A successful sequel could expand the audience dramatically and help prove that Masters of the Universe belongs to everyone, not just nostalgic collectors.

Then imagine a third film.

He-Man and She-Ra standing together.

Brother and sister united.

Eternia facing its greatest threat.

Perhaps Hordak emerges as the larger danger.

Perhaps Skeletor rises again after suffering defeat.

Perhaps the sibling team-up fans have waited decades to see finally arrives.

That's the trilogy many fans dream about.

And honestly, it deserves the chance to exist.

Even the theater experience itself has been special.

The merchandise alone has been incredible.

Light-up Skeletor popcorn buckets with glowing red eyes.

Battle Cat collectibles.

Giant Power Sword drink holders.

Castle Grayskull popcorn containers complete with a working drawbridge.

Miniature Power Sword burger toppers.

The kind of movie swag that reminds you why going to theaters can still feel magical.

Walking into a theater and seeing Masters of the Universe merchandise front and center felt surreal after all these years.

But perhaps the biggest reason to support this movie is simpler than any box office number.

We often hear people say there are no original ideas anymore.

No family adventures.

No hopeful heroes.

No movies with heart.

Then when one arrives, audiences sometimes stay home.

Masters of the Universe isn't perfect.

No movie is.

But it is sincere.

It believes in heroism.

It believes in friendship.

It believes good can triumph over evil.

And maybe those ideas are worth supporting.

Maybe imagination is worth supporting.

Maybe wonder is worth supporting.

Maybe toys are worth supporting.

And maybe introducing a new generation to Eternia is worth supporting too.

For decades, action figures inspired children to tell stories, create worlds, and dream bigger than the rooms they played in. Masters of the Universe was one of the best examples of that magic.

Perhaps it still can be.

Maybe today's children don't buy toys the way previous generations did.

Maybe they never will.

But if enough people discover Eternia through this film, perhaps some of that magic can return. Perhaps a child picks up a He-Man figure, a Battle Cat, or a Skeletor for the first time and creates adventures of their own.

And if that happens, then Masters won't simply be surviving on nostalgia.

It will be creating new fans.

Just as it did for many of us all those years ago.

So this is a simple request.

If you grew up with He-Man, go see it.

If you have children, take them.

If you're looking for a fantasy adventure with heart, give it a chance.

And if you've never listened to Podcasters of the Universe, look them up. Jeremy DeWitt and Steve Boshotti are proof that fandom isn't just about consuming entertainment.

Sometimes it's about preserving it until the rest of the world catches up.

For decades, fans kept the power alive.

Now it's our turn to support the stories we've been asking for.

Because after all these years, Masters of the Universe finally returned.

I'd like to see it stay.