Early Box Office Tracking Indicates ‘Masters of the Universe’ May Struggle at Launch

Early box office tracking is beginning to reveal a mixed outlook for the first weekend of June, as two major studio films prepare to compete directly at the box office.

On one side is Paramount and Miramax’s reboot of Scary Movie, directed by Michael Tiddes and featuring a script from members of the Wayans family, including Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Keenen Ivory Wayans, along with Rick Alvarez. The film also sees the return of Anna Faris and Regina Hall, both of whom are closely associated with earlier entries in the franchise.

On the opposing side is Amazon MGM Studios’ Masters of the Universe, directed by Travis Knight and starring Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man. This film is based on the classic Mattel toy franchise and has been developed as a large-scale live-action reboot, boasting a reported production budget exceeding 170 million dollars.

According to early tracking data reported in industry coverage, Scary Movie is currently leading in audience interest. Its first choice levels are significantly higher, reportedly nearly three times that of Masters of the Universe. Current projections for Scary Movie suggest a domestic opening in the range of 35 to 40 million dollars, even before tickets officially go on sale.

The report highlights that early interest for Scary Movie is particularly strong among women under 25, followed by men across various age groups. The film is being marketed as both a return to the original tone of the franchise and a continuation of its early 2000s success. The Scary Movie series has a rich box office history, with several entries opening above 40 million dollars domestically and a total worldwide gross nearing 900 million dollars across the franchise.

In contrast, early projections for Masters of the Universe are less promising. The film is currently tracking toward a domestic opening of around 35 million dollars, a figure that is considered soft given its substantial production budget and franchise expectations. Audience interest is reportedly strongest among men over 25, according to the same early tracking reports.

The film also carries a long history in Hollywood. The last major live-action version was released in 1987 and starred Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as Skeletor. That iteration struggled at the box office, opening to just 4.8 million dollars domestically. Despite its lackluster performance, the franchise has remained active in animation and merchandising, which has helped sustain interest for a modern reboot.

Industry coverage also points out the unusual nature of this June release window, with two major films competing directly instead of spreading out across different weekends. Both studios are now banking on strong word of mouth and audience turnout to elevate performance beyond early tracking expectations.

With both films still weeks away from their release, the final box office outcome remains uncertain. However, early numbers indicate that Scary Movie currently holds a stronger position heading into opening weekend, while Masters of the Universe faces a more challenging path to meet expectations based on its budget and franchise potential.

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