The 'Masters Of The Universe' Trailer Hides A 'Big' He-Man Easter Egg You Probably Missed

Following the massive success of Barbie (2023), Mattel Studios is moving forward with its next major live-action project, Masters of the Universe (2026). Inspired by Mattel’s Masters of the Universe media franchise, which began as a toy line in the 1980s, the film follows He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine), who, years after fleeing his homeworld, Eternia, for Earth, must return home and face the power-hungry Skeletor (Jared Leto).

Recently, Amazon MGM Studios dropped the first official Masters of the Universe teaser. While the film featured impressive special effects and a nice dose of humor, it also held a little more. From He-Man tugging a sword from the palms of a Viktor statue to the release date’s nod to Masters of the Universe toy designer Mark Taylor’s birthday, the teaser is rife with fun facts certain to intrigue fans. However, one of the biggest Easter eggs is one that you probably missed: a nod to the Masters of the Universe’s strong ties to Big Jim.

Big Jim’s Cameo In ‘Masters Of The Universe’ Teaser, Explained

Right around the 1:01 mark of the Masters of the Universe teaser, you see He-Man struggling to retrieve his sword from the Viktor statue in what appears to be a game/toy store, which prompts a store employee to tell him he can’t do that. When the camera pans to the employee, you can see Big Jim toys on the shelf behind her, including the Big Jim Sports Camper set. There’s also an “All-Star Big Jim 1972” sign hanging to the left of the shelf, which is a nod to the All-Star Big Jim toy series.

Although you might dismiss it as random toys in the shop’s background, Big Jim is definitely an intentional move from the filmmakers. After all, the toy line significantly influenced the Masters of the Universe. Big Jim is another Mattel toy line that has an earlier history than Masters of the Universe, debuting in the 1970s. The line itself drew heavily on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe line, though Mattel went with a less militaristic route, making Big Jim more of an adventurer. 

One of the Big Jim sets was Big Jim on the Tiger Trail, which featured Big Jim in safari attire and came with the Big Jim Tiger, a simple painted tiger with its maw open, baring its fangs. Mattel later reused the Big Jim Tiger mold in its Tarzan and the Jungle Cat set. The Jungle Cat was the same mold as the Big Jim Tiger, but painted black like a panther. Eventually, the mold was also used to craft He-Man’s trusty companion, Battle Cat, the earliest version of which featured the same paint pattern as the Big Jim Tiger but with different colors.

Mattel also reused the molds from the Big Jim Eagle set to craft Masters of the Universe’s fighting falcons, Zoar and Screech, though the designers painted them in more vibrant colors. In addition to reusing Big Jim molds, Masters of the Universe seemed to have pulled some character inspiration from Big Jim characters, too. For example, Skeletor bears resemblance to the skull-faced hooded pirate, Big Jim’s Captain Drake, while Trap Jaw parallels the design of Big Jim’s Iron Jaw.

The Big Jim toy set in the Masters of the Universe teaser is a nod to the franchise’s origins. It’s a nice recognition of the toy line and its designers, who heavily inspired Masters of the Universe. I enjoy that Mattel has no problem addressing all of its toy history. Just like Barbie acknowledges the weird history of the pregnant Barbie doll, Midge, Masters of the Universe subtly acknowledges the not entirely original roots of its characters. The Big Jim nod is a great example of Mattel utilizing all the toy history it can in its films.

Reusing Molds Is Common In The Toy Industry

Now, some of you may feel a certain way about learning that the Masters of the Universe toy line reused Big Jim molds. After all, when you pay for a new toy, it comes with the expectation that it’s “new,” not a toy from a different line with just a slightly different color palette. However, the reusing of molds in the toy business is a pretty standard practice. Reusing molds is an economical choice that reduces the energy and labor needed in mold manufacturing. Toy brands from Mattel to Hasbro and toy lines from Big Jim to Marvel Legends have used the practice.

While reusing molds is fairly common, it can cause some disgruntlement when customers keep noticing the same mold over and over again. One can argue a lack of creativity, though others point out there’s nothing wrong with reusing what isn’t broken. Plus, customers partially fuel mold reuse by continuing to purchase some models. It really just comes down to how creative companies get in mold reuse. The earliest versions of Battle Cat were pretty unimaginative recolorings of Big Jim Tigers, but later versions with purple flocking and battle armor accessories made better use of it. 

One of the benefits of bringing Mattel toys to the big screen is that it can raise awareness of toy line history and even allow toy companies to poke fun at their own practices and decisions. Barbie and Masters of the Universe both invite viewers to dig deeper into the world of toymaking and toy history, and you’ll find the world full of interesting and fun surprises.