40 years on, Masters of the Universe director explains the unique way the '80s cartoon inspired the new live-action movie

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Masters of the Universe is returning to the big screen once again as Nicholas Galitzine stars as live-action He-Man in the latest outing from the beloved franchise. And while the movie tells a fresh story in this universe, the film's director has been open about paying tribute to the stories that have come before them – including the beloved '80s animation.

In fact, Travis Knight even revealed to SFX magazine in the latest issue that they had a unique way of acknowledging the series in the upcoming film. "If you watched the Filmation cartoons [from the '80s], you know that Skeletor had some grand designs for power in every episode," explains Knight.

"He's going to do some kind of scheme, he's going to get his ass kicked and then he's going to promise to return next week. Lather, rinse, repeat. We wondered, 'What would happen if he actually won?' That's essentially how we start our movie. Skeletor's plan finally works."

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As well as having a nod to the original animation, Knight also told SFX that he was keen to add as many Masters of the Universe characters in as possible, too.

"At some point, I felt like I was being a ridiculously irresponsible fanboy as opposed to a filmmaker, so I needed to pull back," he confessed. "This universe is so rich and dense. It's got more than 40 years of history and mythology, so we've really just scratched the surface. I feel very fortunate that I was able to include some of my favourites, including Ram Man, Fisto and Mekaneck."

Masters of the Universe sees Galitzine's Prince Adam Glenn return to Eternia, 15 years after he left. When he arrives, he finds that his home has been destroyed and is now being ruled by the cruel Skeletor. In order to save the world and reclaim his legacy, he teams up with Teela (Camila Mendes) and Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba) to fight the powerful warlord.

Masters of the Universe hits theaters on June 3 – and you can read more about it in n the latest issue of SFX magazine, which features The Vampire Lestat on the front cover. While you're here, check out our guide to upcoming movie release dates to have on your radar as well.

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Fay WatsonDeputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

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