Masters of the Universe's Legacy Cameo Is More Important Than You Realise

Having won over audiences with Transformers spin-off movie Bumblebee, director Travis Knight is now tackling another beloved ‘80s property, He-Man.

Made in conjunction with MGM and Amazon, his Masters of the Universe is hoping to be a crowd pleaser and kickstart the summer season in style after the lacklustre response to The Mandalorian and Grogu.

Knight’s movie is not the first live-action attempt at adapting the popular Saturday morning cartoon. Back in 1987, writer and producer Gary Goddard directed his one and only feature film, Masters of the Universe. The film starred Dolph Lundgren as the muscular protector of Eternia and was one of the many action movies that made the Swedish actor a titan of the decade. With the actor synonymous with the dual role of Prince Adam and He-Man, fans have been anxious to know whether he plays any part in the new movie. 

The inclusion of Dolph Lundgren in the movie was teased during the US premiere for Masters of the Universe, during which Lundgren was photographed passing the Sword of Power to his successor, Nicholas Galitzine. His appearance at the premiere suggested that Lundgren was a part of the project, and having now seen the movie, JustWatch can confirm that he does indeed feature. If you want to keep his involvement a secret, then look away now, as we break down exactly how the original live-action He-Man fits into the new film. 

Why Dolph Lundgren’s Masters of the Universe Cameo Is So Important

Masters of the Universe opens with a mighty battle on Eternia. During this act, a young Prince Adam is sent to Earth with the Sword of Power. His mission is to keep the sword safe and secret from Skeletor and his spies, whilst never forgetting his home of Eternia. Unfortunately, Adam immediately fails in his first task, as the sword is lost during transportation. However, Adam excels in keeping the memory of Eternia alive, happily telling everyone and anyone about his home world populated by talking cats, sorceresses, and a variety of peculiarly superpowered heroes. 

Having failed as a child to be seen as warrior material, Adam determines that this will not be the case as an adult. Without the likes of Man-At-Arms to whip him into shape, the Earth-logged Adam does what anyone wanting to gain some muscle does, and enlists at a gym. As Adam picks up his first set of weights and begins some reps, a voice is heard stating that he is taking up their spot. 

The source of that voice is a fellow gym bunny, played by Mr Dolph Lundgren. His line about taking his spot has a double meaning, considering that Galitzine is taking the role from him, and this knowing edge continues throughout their conversation. In awe at the older man’s ability to effortlessly lift the heavy weights, Adam asks whether he has any advice for “the new guy.” It is a wonderful nod to Lundgren’s history with the character and, just like the ceremony at the premiere, the scene is a great changing-of-the-guard moment. 

Lundgren’s cameo is more than just a passing of the torch, though. He advises Adam to not concern himself with the façade of the front, and urges him to focus and back himself and those around him. This message has a greater significance later in the plot. Having imparted the wisdom that will come into play later on and unite the surviving Eternians, Adam’s enigmatic gym guru moves on to a new section, but not before wishing the younger man a ‘good journey’, the words accompanied by the hand gesture seen in his version of Masters of the Universe. It is one final loving touch that pays respect to Lundgren’s time as He-Man, whilst warmly accepting Galitzine’s version of the character. 

Having returned to a now ruined Eternia, Adam struggles to get his heroes to believe his princely credentials. After a series of mishaps, Adam and the group find themselves trapped, and it is left to Adam to get them out. He then delivers a suitably heroic rousing speech that goes on about the front only being a façade and the need to back themselves. It’s a not so subtle call-back that brings Lundgren into the plot on a deeper level than the typical legacy cameo.   

Now Is The Perfect Time to Revisit Dolph Lundgren’s He-Man Movie

As iconic as Dolph Lundgren’s turn as He-Man is, his Masters of the Universe holds only 21% on Rotten Tomatoes. This score is from only 29 reviews, but the reception to the film in 1987 was not much better. The biggest frustration for most was that the action primarily occurs on Earth and not on Eternia. Those who spent hours watching the cartoon were sad not to see the fantasy world recreated. The story also seemed to stray a little too far from what fans were used to. Despite all of this, Masters of the Universe has still amassed a devout cult of admirers. 

The error of focusing on Earth aside, Masters of the Universe is actually a pretty fun watch. Those with a yearning for ‘80s nostalgia will be richly rewarded, as Masters of the Universe might be one of the most ‘80s action fantasy films to have ever been filmed. Lundgren is perfectly cast as He-Man, his intimidating muscular physique making him the ideal candidate for the role. That movie era was all about macho muscle men, and although Arnie and Sly were also around, there is no way that either could have pulled off the character as well as Lundgren. Frank Langella is masterfully camp as Skeletor, Meg Foster suitably icy as Evil-Lyn, and there’s even an early starring role for Courtney Cox as Adam's love interest. 

Gary Goddard’s movie is a must-watch for fans of slightly heightened fantasy adventures. If you enjoy Flash Gordon, Krull, and Howard the Duck, then Masters of the Universe may well be right up your street. 

Why You Need To Watch Masters of the Universe (2026)

While He-Man might not be the titan he used to be, interest in the new movie is rightly high. Travis Knight proved himself a capable warden of nostalgia with Bumblebee, and he infuses his Masters of the Universe with that same magic. A film that can easily entertain the whole family, despite their familiarity with the IP, Masters of the Universe is big, dumb, silly nonsense in all of the right ways. 

Nicholas Galitzine does a great job of following in Lundgren’s footsteps. Knight opts to focus more on the Prince Adam side of the character to keep comparisons between the two actors light. Knight also fixes the problem of Lundgren’s outing by keeping the bulk of the story on Eternia.

So if you’re in the market for a summer flick that isn’t afraid to poke fun at itself and its source material, and features talking tigers, women who transform into birds, and the most foreboding architecture since Lord of the Rings, get 2026's Masters of the Universe on your watchlist.