The upcoming He-Man blockbuster Masters of the Universe has received a concerning prediction at the box office. Directed by Travis Knight, who is known for the 2018 Transformers film Bumblebee, this live-action Amazon MGM Studios production stars Nicholas Galitzine as Adam Glenn, who learns that he was sent to Earth as a child but is called back to Eternia by the Sword of Power to defeat Skeletor (Jared Leto). The film has had a tumultuous journey over the last two decades, to say the least, so the fact that it’s actually coming out is a small miracle. Fans of the franchise will finally be able to see the action flick when it debuts in US theaters on June 5, 2026. However, it looks like the movie will face an uphill battle amid a crowded slate of competition this summer.
Masters of the Universe receives a volatile box office prediction
An early box office prediction for Masters of the Universe has it earning $25 million in its domestic opener from June 5 to June 7.
This figure comes from a May 8 report from BoxOfficeTheory, which provides a few reasons for its potential struggle in theaters. While the He-Man universe still has brand awareness through memes, especially for Skeletor, the report explains that it doesn’t have the same cultural presence as other nostalgic properties from the ’80s, saying that “the brand arguably carries a level of cultural (and kid) awareness more comparable to the likes of Tron: Ares than Transformers.” It believes that pre-sales and upfront interest will come mainly from adult men who grew up with the He-Man cartoons.
The main hurdle that Masters of the Universe has to overcome is its enormous production budget. Insiders speaking with Variety said that the movie costs “below $200 million,” with one source saying that it cost “roughly $170 million,” though it should be noted that this was reported back in November 2023. While this figure might have changed since then, if this sizeable budget holds, it means that the film will need to target the $440 million mark at the box office to make a profit. (The general rule is that movies, and especially blockbusters like this, need to make 2.5 times its budget to be profitable.)
This isn’t an impossible goal, but the early $25 million prediction for the movie’s domestic opening weekend will need to improve as we head toward its June release. Amazon MGM Studios’ Project Hail Mary had a similarly large budget of $200 million budget. But it crossed its lofty break-even point of $500 million by earning $80 million in its domestic opener on its path toward a current worldwide total of $655 million. Lionsgate’s biopic Michael gathered $97 million in its domestic opener and has a running total of $577 million off a $155 million budget. Masters of the Universe will need to perform close to these numbers to be called a box office success.
This theatrical He-Man reboot faces a lot of competition as well, with the film coming out in the third weekend of Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu and in the second weekend of the sleeper horror hit Backrooms. Toy Story 5, which is one of the most highly anticipated films this year, releases two weeks after Masters of the Universe on June 15.
Where the movie could turn the tables is through positive word-of-mouth. Director Travis Knight is known for crafting stories that respond well with audiences. The official January teaser trailer for Masters of the Universe has earned 38 million views on YouTube, while its official March trailer has garnered 26 million views on the platform, showing that the movie has a strong amount of attention. Whether that translates into ticket sales remains to be seen.