Masters of the Universe Quietly Confirms Skeletor's Franchise Future - MCE Notices | California State Portal

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Masters of the Universe!

The greatest villain in all of Eternia will be back. Masters of the Universe brings the most iconic characters from the original animated series to life in glorious live-action for the franchise’s first big-screen adventure in nearly forty years. While Nicholas Galitzine leads the cast as Adam Glenn/He-Man, one other character easily steals the show.

Although there was some initial backlash at his casting, Jared Leto is electric as Skeletor, the primary antagonist of the new Masters of the Universe film. While things don’t particularly go his way in the reboot’s epic climax, Skeletor is around to stay. The production team behind Masters of the Universe has already confirmed Skeletor’s future in the franchise, provided the first film does well enough to warrant a sequel.

Skeletor Isn’t Finished After Masters of the Universe

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

Skeletor seemingly meets a violent end during the events of Masters of the Universe‘s epic finale, but that might not be the whole story. In the new reboot, Jared Leto’s villain takes over Eternia in pursuit of the Power of Grayskull. However, he is foiled by Prince Adam, a.k.a. He-Man, who learns that he is the true conduit of the Power. Using this strength, He-Man challenges Skeletor to a one-on-one duel for the fate of Eternia.

Even against the Power, Skeletor puts up a good fight against He-Man. The two come to blows in Castle Grayskull, nearly leveling the fortress and the surrounding structure. Using his newfound cosmic power, He-Man vanquishes Skeletor in an epic surge of energy that destroys most of the villain’s physical essence. All that is left behind is his signature skull face, its red pupils burned out to leave behind only empty eye sockets.

Despite this violent end, it seems that Skeletor isn’t finished after all. In a recent interview with TechRadar, Masters of the Universe director Travis Knight confirmed that the character could return in future projects. “You haven’t seen the last of Skeletor,” the filmmaker commented forebodingly, “that’s all I’ll say about that.” He didn’t elaborate on the future of Skeletor or the Masters of the Universe franchise, but seemed confident that there would be more stories with the film’s scene-stealing villain.

Knight’s comments line up with the film’s final post-credits scene, which sees Alison Brie’s Evil-Lyn return to Castle Grayskull sometime after the final battle. The evil sorceress collects Skeletor’s skull, cheekily commenting that he’s looked better before walking off with his remains. The film leaves audiences with a black screen, as Skeletor’s laugh can be heard echoing one last time, seemingly promising the villain’s return in future stories.

Masters of the Universe has yet to confirm exactly how Skeletor will return after his apparent demise, but a potential sequel will have plenty of avenues to facilitate the villain’s resurrection. Skeletor has died and returned several times throughout the franchise’s animated history, including once hiding his life essence within Evil-Lyn’s staff. This would be an easy way to explain the character’s return in Masters of the Universe 2, should the film ever happen.

Skeletor’s Fate Mirrors the 1987 Masters of the Universe Movie

Frank Langella as Skeletor in 1987's Masters of the Universe — Frank Langella as Skeletor in 1987’s Masters of the Universe

Masters of the Universe takes clear direction from the original 1987 film starring Dolph Lundgren. Not only does the original He-Man actor make a cameo appearance in the reboot, but the new film also includes several of the same plot points as its predecessor. Included in this list of similarities is the treatment of Skeletor.

In both iterations of Masters of the Universe, Skeletor is a clear scene-stealer. Frank Langella plays He-Man’s archnemesis in the original 1987 film, crafting a campy, iconic villain who clearly outshines Dolph Lundgren’s hero. Despite the backlash surrounding his casting, Jared Leto is also the clear standout of the reboot. He is both the comic relief and the menacing villain he needs to be, giving Masters of the Universe a perfect mix of comedy and drama.

Both iterations of Skeletor meet a similar fate in their respective movies. Frank Langella’s villain is seemingly killed at the end of a battle with He-Man, who knocks him backward into a large pit. However, the film’s infamous post-credits scene features Skeletor emerging from the watery pit, breaking the fourth wall to promise audiences that he’ll be back. Of course, he never makes good on this promise, with Masters of the Universe 2 being cancelled shortly after the first film bombed at the box office.

The 2026 reboot seems to be paying homage to the original with Skeletor’s fate. By using a similar post-credits scene to promise the villain’s return, Masters of the Universe replicates the original film’s ending. Hopefully, this iteration of the franchise will get the chance to make good on its promise by bringing Skeletor back for a rematch with He-Man in a sequel.

What’s Next for the Masters of the Universe Franchise?

Masters of the Universe clearly tries to set up a full-fledged franchise in its first film. Director Travis Knight has been vocal about his desire to make more Masters of the Universe movies, though the franchise’s future will most likely depend on the box office success of the most recent release.

The new movie includes multiple post-credits scenes that set up the franchise’s future. In addition to Evil-Lyn and Skeletor’s tag, a mid-credits scene teases the arrival of Prince Adam’s sister, Adora/She-Ra, one of the most powerful characters from the original series. Knight has hinted that he already has an actress in mind to play She-Ra should a sequel ever happen.

Unfortunately, a Masters of the Universe sequel doesn’t seem likely after the film’s first weekend at the box office. The film opened second worldwide, below Scary Movie 6. It failed to meet the low predictions for its first weekend, getting off to a bad start for a film that cost around $200 million to make. It continues to face stiff competition in indie horror hits like Obsession and The Backrooms, which continue to dominate the cinema scene as the Summer movie season continues.

Masters of the Universe will have to make up a lot of ground if it wants to break even at the box office. The best the movie can hope for is that its positive reviews and strong word of mouth will help boost its performance in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem likely given the heavy competition coming to theaters in the coming weeks. With Disclosure Day, Toy Story 5, and Supergirl all releasing in June, Masters of the Universe may get shut out before making back its budget.

Hopefully, Travis Knight and his creative team will get the chance to follow through on their lofty promises for more Skeletor in future Masters of the Universe movies. However, the franchise has a steep uphill battle if it wants to make back its hefty production budget. If it fails to do so, the new reboot will follow in its predecessor’s footsteps as a one-off story that could have been so much more. It’s story will continue to unfold over the coming weeks, though things don’t look particularly positive for the sword-and-sorcery film.

Masters of the Universe is currently playing in theaters.