Travis Knight’s eagerly anticipated fantasy action film, Masters of the Universe, is set to hit the big screen on June 5, 2026. It is the second live-action adaptation of Mattel’s sword-and-planet fantasy adventure franchise and features English actor Nicholas Galitzine in the lead role. The first 1987 film, which starred Dolph Lundgren as He-Man, holds a 21% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed $17.3 million worldwide.
Although surpassing the first film’s total may not be a big box office benchmark for the 2026 film, it will be interesting to see how well it is received by critics and the word-of-mouth among moviegoers. Nicholas Galitzine’s Masters of the Universe is reportedly made on an estimated budget of around $170 million. This means it needs to earn roughly $425 million to break even at the box office, using the 2.5x multiplier rule. That’s the key box office milestone the film will be aiming to achieve.
Ahead of its theatrical release, let’s take a look at what Masters of the Universe needs to earn to surpass the worldwide earnings of James Gunn’s hit 2025 superhero movie, Superman. First, let’s see how the David Corenswet starrer performed at the global box office, according to data from Box Office Mojo.
Superman (2025) – Box Office Summary
- North America: $354.2 million
- International: $264.5 million
- Worldwide: $618.7 million
From the figures above, it can be seen that for Masters of the Universe to surpass Superman’s domestic earnings, it would need to earn at least $354.2 million in North America. Moreover, to outgross the 2025 film worldwide, it would need to gross over $618.7 million.
Given the current theatrical landscape, surpassing $600 million is a difficult target by any standard. For instance, in 2025, only the top ten films worldwide were able to get past the $600 million mark. Even Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning fell short of reaching the benchmark. Moreover, in 2026, only three films have earned over $600 million worldwide so far.
This suggests that Masters of the Universe would need to deliver a solid opening weekend, receive strong support from international markets, and demonstrate steady weekday and weekend holds for at least three to four weeks after its release to hit that benchmark. Whether it can surpass the $600 million mark and eventually beat Superman’s $618.7 million haul can only be determined after its theatrical release on June 5.
What Is Masters of the Universe All About?
The film is about how Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) returns to planet Eternia after fifteen years, but is devastated to find out that his home has been destroyed under the evil rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto). He joins forces with Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba) to save his family, defeat the powerful foe by becoming the most powerful man in the universe – He-Man.
Masters of the Universe – Official Trailer
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more box office updates!
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