On February 12th, Empire Magazine hits newsstands with a special Masters of the Universe issue with an inside look at the highly anticipated film and fans like me are very excited. Growing up with the original animated series and the action figures, I’ve been waiting decades for a movie that accurately depicts the cartoon. From the trailer to every new detail, this adaptation looks like it will do just that, which is rare in recent Hollywood remakes.
One of the biggest reasons for that hope comes straight from director Travis Knight, who told Empire that the film is intentionally leaning into the fun and “inherent silliness” of the original series. “There’s an inherent silliness to it, which we are acknowledging and embracing,” Knight says. “I think it’s a virtue, actually. And it’s woven into the script to help some of these things make sense to a modern audience.” With Empire’s cover story on the way, it’s shaping up to be an exciting year for Eternia and everyone holding onto childhood memories.
He-Man and the #MastersOfTheUniverse unite on Empire’s world-exclusive cover – going on set of 2026’s most playful blockbuster with Travis Knight, Nicholas Galitzine, Idris Elba, Camila Mendes and more.
The new issue of Empire takes a world-exclusive deep-dive into Knight’s Masters Of The Universe, going on set to explore how the Laika legend is bringing the toys to life. Inside, the filmmaker opens up on staying true to the spirit of the cartoons, and anchoring He-Man and his bone-headed nemesis Skeletor in contemporary concerns. Plus, we speak to He-Man himself, Nicholas Galitzine, about taking on the ‘80s most pumped-up hero; Idris Elba about his affection for the original figurines; Camila Mendes about bringing Teela into a more modern world; and the film’s crew about rendering Eternia in full scale. Plus, it’s packed with brand new images and concept art – the ultimate early peek at this summer’s most playful blockbuster.
Empire’s Masters Of The Universe feature goes on sale Thursday, February 12.
