By Chris Snellgrove | Published
When I go to see Masters of the UniverseI couldn't help but panic. I was a big fan of the original He-Man cartoon when I was a kid, and I remember being disappointed by all the ways the 1987 live-action movie with Dolph Lundgren changed what I loved about the show. Even though I've grown to appreciate the previous film, the fact remains that it was such a critical and commercial bomb that we didn't get a new one nearly four times. decades. Also, the new movie had troubled kingpin and certified patent killer Jared Leto playing the iconic Skeletor, so I braced myself for the worst.
However, what surprised me, the new Masters of the Universe it was it's fun. From the character development to the action and quirky humor, this film brought my favorite childhood cartoons to life. I'm not alone in my love for He-Man's latest adventure: certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 87 percent audience score, this movie is clearly a crowd pleaser. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it had enough crowd-pleasing potential, as it's expected to gross just over $30 million in its opening weekend. Factor in high budgets and marketing costs, as well Masters of the Universe it won't make enough money to justify a sequel.
He-Man Can't Catch You
on paper, Masters of the UniverseThe opening weekend was strong. It will gross over $30 million, which shows how eager audiences have been to revisit this high-flying, sword-smashing sci-fi franchise. However, He-Man faced stiff competition at the box office, not from the films you might expect. When summer came, many thought so The Mandalorian and the Groguthe first Star Wars film in seven years, it would dominate the box office. But it continues to lose ground against boot-strap, low-budget horror movies like it Infatuation again Back rooms. It's scary talking, just played for the first time scary Movie is on track to be the top film this weekend.
If not for this incredibly powerful competition, Masters of the Universe you may have earned more. Why, though, is $30 million in its opening weekend not good enough? Part of the answer is budget. It cost $170 million to bring this new He-Man movie to life, and that's not counting marketing costs, which always it's more expensive than you might think. Accordingly, big-budget sci-fi blockbusters usually need a big opening weekend to make a profit because they earn less at the box office each following weekend. Superman (2025) made $125 million in its opening weekend, but between marketing costs and a theatrical profit split, it may is lost money.
Bone, Criminals, and Discord
Masters of the Universe it costs less to make and probably less to market than that Supermanbut it also grossed 76 percent less in its opening weekend. The film will hopefully benefit from strong word of mouth, but you can bet every weight bench at Eternia that it will make less than $30 million every week from here on out. Maybe a a lot Below: The Mandalorian & Grogufor example, it dropped about 70 percent in its second weekend. If star Wars could falter like that, then it's possible that this fan-favorite He-Man movie could have an even worse ending.
That's a shame because Masters of the Universe it is a sincere thing big the movie. It has all the ingredients (including believable character designs, a deep backstory, and plenty of Easter eggs) to make fans of the franchise happy. It also has everything it needs (including great comedy, fun performances, and epic action sequences) to win over mainstream audiences. As a sci-fi film that breaks the mold of Marvel (and Marvel wannabe), Masters of the Universe it's everything most moviegoers say they want in a summer blockbuster. If this new film is likely to be dead on arrival, it will make movie studios even more reluctant to take big, creative turns.
There may still be Power
Now, more than ever, I really hope to be proven wrong. It is possible Masters of the Universe you will follow in the footsteps of Infatuation and find out More on the second weekend. Or maybe all the good word of mouth will keep its box office from plummeting The Mandalorian & Grogu. In the end, I hope more people will give this movie a chance. It's the funnest movie I've seen this year, and one that does the action/adventure formula better than Marvel has done since. Avengers: Endgame. Do you want to see exciting, funny, and unusual sci-fi on the big screen?
Then go watch it today, and by the power of Grayskull, be sure to tell your friends how great it was!
