‘Masters of the Universe’ Streaming Success Shows Box Office Numbers Can Deceive
Box office figures often influence a film’s reputation before audiences have a chance to view it at home. A less-than-stellar theatrical performance can linger for months, even when the narrative resonates with viewers.
This is the redemption story unfolding for ‘Masters of the Universe,’ the high-budget reboot of Mattel’s sword-and-sorcery franchise featuring Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man. Following a tepid theatrical release earlier this summer, the film has experienced a dramatically different reception once it became available for home viewing.
Recent data from Nielsen’s streaming ratings for the week of July 20 to 26 reveals that ‘Masters of the Universe’ achieved the No. 1 ranking across all streaming platforms in the U.S. during its debut week on Prime Video. The film amassed an impressive 1.17 billion minutes of watch time within just seven days, placing it in an exclusive category.
Only one other title surpassed the billion-minute mark that week: ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ which garnered 1.12 billion minutes on HBO Max. The fact that a long-standing sitcom was the only competitor keeping pace with a fresh theatrical release highlights how quickly ‘Masters of the Universe’ gained traction after leaving theaters.
This streaming triumph starkly contrasts its initial box office performance. ‘Masters of the Universe’ premiered in theaters on June 5, earning just under 114 million dollars globally against a reported budget of 170 to 200 million dollars, making it one of the summer’s more disappointing box office outcomes.
Despite its theatrical misstep, critics responded more favorably than the box office figures might imply. The film currently boasts a 67 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside a significantly higher 86 percent audience score, indicating a potential for strong word-of-mouth support.
Prime Video acted swiftly to add the film to subscribers’ libraries, releasing it on July 22, just weeks after its theatrical debut. This quick turnaround seems to have benefited the film, attracting viewers who may have opted out of the theater but were eager to watch from home.
Directed by Travis Knight, known for his work on stop-motion films like ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ and ‘Bumblebee,’ the movie follows Prince Adam nearly two decades after arriving on Earth, as he is called back to the planet Eternia. The narrative embraces the same mythology that made the original 1980s cartoon and toy line a cultural phenomenon.
Galitzine stars as Adam and his heroic counterpart, joined by Camila Mendes as Teela, Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, Jared Leto as the evil Skeletor, and Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn. This star-studded cast, combined with a franchise steeped in nostalgia, may have been the perfect recipe for streaming audiences to discover on their own terms.
The rest of the week’s Nielsen rankings further emphasize how dominant ‘Masters of the Universe’ has been. Netflix’s Kevin Hart comedy ’72 Hours’ came in second among movies with 791 million minutes, while Will Ferrell’s ‘The Hawk’ and Prime Video’s own ‘Ride or Die’ led the original series category with 944 million and 922 million minutes, respectively.
For a franchise that has faced numerous challenges returning to the screen over the years, these streaming figures provide a significant boost of confidence as it looks ahead to future projects in the ‘Masters of the Universe’ universe. It also serves as a reminder that in today’s entertainment landscape, a film’s true audience may not show up during its opening weekend but can emerge weeks later, remote in hand.
With such impressive numbers, it’s no surprise that fans are already buzzing about the potential for a sequel to finally be greenlit.
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