Idris Elba Is in Early Talks for a Role in the Live-Action ‘Masters of the Universe’ Movie. UPDATE: Deal is done.

Idris Elba is in early discussions to take on the role of Man-at-Arms in the new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, inspired by the popular Mattel franchise.

Elba would join Nicholas Galitzine in the role of He-Man, Camila Mendes, who is playing Teela, and Alison Brie as “Evil-Lyn.

UPDATE: Deadline just reported that the deal is done.

The movie will follow, according to its synopsis, “10-year-old Prince Adam who crashed to Earth in a spaceship and was separated from his magical Power Sword—the only link to his home on Eternia. After tracking it down almost two decades later, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor. But to defeat such a powerful villain, Prince Adam will first need to uncover the mysteries of his past and become He-Man: the most powerful man in the Universe!”

Travis Knight is directing the movie, with a script by Chris Butler (the first draft was written by David Callaham, along with Aaron and Adam Nee). The story is still a secret, but the film is set to hit theaters worldwide on June 5, 2026. It is being made by Escape Artists and Mattel Films.

Mattel launched the Masters of the Universe brand in 1982 with a line of action figures, followed by the popular animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in 1983.

The show wrapped up after two seasons and 130 episodes, but He-Man’s story didn’t end there. In 1985, the animated movie The Secret of the Sword introduced his sister, She-Ra, who later got her own series, She-Ra: Princess of Power.

By 1987, both shows had ended. Mattel brought He-Man back in 1990 with The New Adventures of He-Man. The series was rebooted again in 2002, 2018, and 2021, along with She-Ra and the Princesses of Power on Netflix.

A Masters movie has been in the works for a long time in Hollywood, moving between studios like Sony, Netflix, and Amazon MGM. Over the years, several filmmakers have been involved, including David Callaham and Aaron and Adam Nee, who wrote the original draft for the Amazon MGM version.

What do you think? Is Idris Elba the right choice for the role? Let us know in the comments below.

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