Prime Video’s $175M Action Fantasy Flop Is Officially Soaring on Global Streaming
Masters of the Universe, Amazon's $175 million live-action reboot of the He-Man franchise, struggled at the box office this summer but has since become a major hit on Prime Video, ranking among the platform's biggest films globally according to FlixPatrol. The turnaround highlights how streaming performance can rescue a theatrical disappointment, and comes amid a wider Hollywood trend of reviving nostalgic toy and pop-culture properties for the big screen.
Directed by Travis Knight, the film stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam, who flees Eternia as a child after Skeletor (Jared Leto) seizes power, before returning years later to reclaim the Sword of Power and his destiny as He-Man. It earned a 67% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes against a much higher 86% audience score, and The Hollywood Reporter noted it clocked up 1.17 billion minutes of watch time in its first week on Prime Video. Despite the streaming success, a sequel looks unlikely given the poor box-office showing, though Amazon's heavy investment in fantasy content, including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, leaves the door open; Knight has meanwhile moved on to his next project, Wildwood.
- Masters of the Universe flopped in cinemas but thrives on Prime Video
- Film racked up 1.17 billion streaming minutes in its first week
- Sequel unlikely despite streaming success, given weak box office
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Masters of the Universe began as a line of action figures in the 1980s and became widely known through the animated He-Man television series. It is set mainly on the fictional planet Eternia, where magic, technology and rival powers exist side by side.
The central character is Prince Adam, who can become the hero He-Man by using the Sword of Power. His main enemy is Skeletor, a villain who seeks control of Eternia, while the wider story involves Adam’s claim to leadership and the people around him.
The new film is part of Hollywood’s continuing interest in adapting familiar toys, cartoons and other older entertainment brands. Such releases are often judged both by cinema ticket sales and by how many people watch them later on streaming services.