Dolph Lundgren Reflects on the Masters of the Universe Box Office Flop

‘Masters of the Universe’ may have garnered a loyal fanbase and positive reviews, but it has struggled to translate that acclaim into box office success. Despite the film’s strong reception and the well-established brand behind it, the live-action He-Man reboot has not met expectations at the global box office.

The film’s performance has sparked significant discussion among fans and industry experts. Many anticipated that the movie would draw a large audience due to the franchise’s enduring popularity. The ‘Masters of the Universe’ brand boasts a dedicated fanbase that continues to engage with it through merchandise, animated series, and various media. However, the film has not connected with a broader audience beyond its core supporters.

Dolph Lundgren, who famously portrayed He-Man in the 1987 live-action ‘Masters of the Universe’ movie and appears in the new film, expressed surprise at the results. In an interview with ComicBook’s Chris Killian, linked to his role as a USA Fencing ambassador ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Lundgren shared his thoughts on the movie’s box office performance.

“Yeah, I was a bit disappointed. I mean, everybody told me it’s going to do great. I’m not a huge believer in looking at the box office and that influencing how I feel that much emotionally about the picture. But I did think about it like, ‘Oh, okay. Um that was strange that didn’t do better.’ And I don’t know why that is. They did a lot of marketing, they did a lot of press. I was part of it, some of it. I don’t know where it’s at now; I mean, I think it did fairly well overseas as well. I’m not sure what that means really.”

Lundgren admitted that he expected stronger results, particularly given the extensive promotion surrounding the film. While he does not solely judge a film by its box office performance, he was nonetheless taken aback that it did not attract a larger audience.

Despite the disappointing box office figures, reports indicate that Amazon MGM Studios is still planning to proceed with a sequel. This means that storylines hinted at in the film, including the introduction of She-Ra and the potential return of Skeletor, could still be explored in future installments.

During the interview, Lundgren also discussed the long-term prospects of the movie and whether it might eventually find a larger audience after its theatrical run concludes.

“I suppose… I don’t know. Will Nick be signing swords for 40 years, like I have been? I don’t know. I mean, it’s hard to gauge movies by the box office as well. Sometimes you have a huge box office hit that becomes a classic, or sometimes it makes a lot of money, but nobody cares 20 years later. And there’s also the other one, the other version where it didn’t do that well, but people care a lot, you know, 50 years later.”

His remarks underscore a crucial point: a film’s box office performance does not always dictate its legacy. Some movies achieve classic status years after their release, while others fade into obscurity despite strong financial returns.

For now, the future of ‘Masters of the Universe’ remains uncertain. The film may still find a wider audience through streaming and home video releases. Whether it will become a lasting favorite or develop a cult following akin to the 1987 film is yet to be determined.

Lundgren’s comments were made during his interview as part of his work with USA Fencing ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

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