Next comes minor spoilers for the film "Masters of the Universe".
At the beginning of Travis Knight's fantasy adventure film Masters of the Universe, young Prince Adam (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt) witnesses his home kingdom of Eternia under siege by the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto) and his monstrous minions. To protect him, Adam's parents gift him a magical sword, the Sword of Power, and send him through a portal to planet Earth. Unfortunately, Adam loses his sword during the journey and finds himself alone and penniless on Earth.
Adam, eventually played by Nicholas Galitzine, grew up on Earth. He vaguely remembers his childhood on Eternia and knows only that he needs to find his missing sword to return home. He takes a boring corporate job and dreams of warriors and monsters. Echoes of his Eternian father's words about the importance of strength and military service also resonate in Adam's mind, driving him to the gym from time to time. However, Adam is a timid soul, and he doesn't know if he'll ever be strong enough to silence the voices from his childhood. He's still a long way from becoming He-Man.
At the gym, Adam is scolded by a tall, strong, blond-haired older bodybuilder, played by action icon Dolph Lundgren. Naturally, longtime fans of Masters of the Universe will recognize Lundgren as the star of the 1987 film adaptation, where he plays He-Man. Adam and Lundgren's character have a brief exchange, during which Lundgren gives him valuable advice on standing up for himself. He leaves, saying, "Have a safe trip," a line from the 1987 film Masters of the Universe.
It's a brief but sweet moment that allows one actor playing He-Man in the movies to pass the baton to another.
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Dolph Lundgren makes a cameo appearance in Masters of the Universe (2026).
He-Man sweats in Masters of the Universe (1987) — The Cannon Group
Dolph Lundgren was still relatively new to professional acting when he appeared in Masters of the Universe in 1987. His screen debut came as a random henchman in the 1985 James Bond film A View to a Kill, opposite his then-girlfriend Grace Jones. Later that year, Lundgren achieved success with his role as the taciturn Soviet boxer Ivan Drago in Rocky IV. It took him just two years to land the role of He-Man in Masters of the Universe.
However, few people loved the 1987 film Masters of the Universe upon its theatrical release. Kids who enjoyed the Mattel-produced He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon were dissatisfied with the film's changes from the source material, while almost everyone else was outraged by the poor script, odd ideas, and cheap art direction. To this day, Masters of the Universe (1987) remains notorious for its poor quality.
Of course, as with anything old enough, the film has evoked a certain nostalgia over time, so much so that fans of Masters of the Universe have even come to love it, if only for its kitschy entertainment value. This is also helped by the fact that Lundgren is generally beloved by mainstream audiences today, thanks to his long film career and status as an action legend.
So when Lundgren appears in Masters of the Universe (2026), old-school fans will likely cheer rather than roll their eyes. Watching him wish his successor as He-Man "Godspeed," it seems Lundgren is giving his blessing. A new He-Man may emerge. Old He-Man approves.
The movie "Masters of the Universe" is now showing in cinemas.
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Read the original article on SlashFilm.