Masters of the Universe Set to Become Another Jared Leto Box-Office Failure

Amazon MGM’s Masters of the Universe premiered in an attempt to start a high-profile fantasy franchise, but initial box office numbers do not bode well for its future success. Despite its high-profile brand, cast, and marketing campaign, the live-action feature has failed to draw an audience.

As per box office monitoring statistics released by Deadline, the film experienced a nearly 71% drop in the US during its second weekend, a decline that has some wondering whether it will have any hope left in theaters. Variety claims the film’s budget was close to $ 200 million, and many are beginning to question whether the producer can recoup it before the film reaches the brink.

FandomWire rates the movie a 5 out of 10 and says, “Nicholas Galitzine brings charm, humor, and genuine star potential to Masters of the Universe. Unfortunately, cringe-worthy dialogue, inconsistent comedy, and a refusal to fully embrace its mythology leave the film feeling tonally confused.”

Jared Leto’s Masters of the Universe Fails To Perform At The Box Office

Still from the movie Masters of the Universe – Credit:- Amazon MGM Studios

Directed by Travis Knight, it features Nicholas Galitzine as not only Prince Adam but also He-Man, with Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Alison Brie, Morena Baccarin, Kristen Wiig, and Jared Leto as Skeletor. The film received mixed but generally positive reviews from critics, with a 68% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Despite this positive buzz, it’s not reflected in the box office. Masters of the Universe has struggled to maintain a foothold since an opening weekend in which it debuted in second place.

At the end of its second weekend, the Masters of the Universe had a sum take of only $8.66 million, which brought its worldwide total up to just $86.1 million, against a budget of over $170 million (via The Numbers, as of June 15, 2026).

It now ranks behind several other comparable films, including Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, horror hit Obsession, Scary Movie 6, and Backrooms.

The film has already surpassed the lifetime US gross of the 1987 film Masters of the Universe. The new version is said to have cost more than $200 million to produce. Box office experts have a common consensus that a big studio picture has to hit more than two and a half times over its production budget for it to turn a profit, once marketing and distribution costs are taken into account. Before its second weekend had even begun, the film had accumulated a worldwide gross of approximately $62.7 million, making the week 2 total $46.7M.

Even accounting for theater revenues, the picture is still a long way from having broken even. Its difficulty may only increase in the weeks ahead as the coming days will see the releases of major summer movies such as Toy Story 5, Supergirl, Minions & Monsters, Disney’s live-action Moana, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, etc. With tough new competitors coming in every week, it will be a rough ride for Masters of the Universe to reclaim any lost momentum. However, its run in theaters is nowhere near being over.

Did you watch Masters of the Universe yet? Let us know in the comments below.

Masters of the Universe is currently playing in theaters (US).