Masters Of The Universe: Revelation Release Date, Cast, And Plot - What We Know So Far
Castle Grayskull is preparing for a new renaissance. The beloved cartoon series "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" is putting together a multimedia comeback for the new decade, and leading the way is a miniseries for Netflix produced by Kevin Smith and entitled "Masters of the Universe: Revelation."
The announcement came as a big surprise in August 2019 when Smith and representatives from Mattel dropped in on Power-Con in Anaheim, California to reveal the series (via Deadline). The story will pick up where the original cartoon left off in 1985 and continue He-Man's journey from there, but it'll look a bit different: This time, the denizens of Eternia will be rendered in an anime style by Powerhouse Animation studio, which also produces the hit series "Castlevania" for Netflix. You may have also heard about the original series 3D remake and the long-languishing live-action feature film (the former is also going to be on Netflix, the latter is currently rumored to end up on the streaming site rather than theaters); those are still in preproduction and are not, so far as we know right now, intended to mesh with the Revelation series.
It's a great time to be a fan of Eternia, and we're hot on the trail of all the scattered information that's popping up for this first return to He-Man's universe. Here's everything you need to know while you're waiting for that moment you can sit on your couch, hold your replica Sword of Power, and witness He-Man's glorious return to television. In addition to the animated series, we'll also fill you in on what else is coming for the rest of the "Masters of the Universe" franchise, including comic books and other TV shows and films.
When is the release date of Masters of the Universe: Revelation?
It took what felt like forever, but we now have a definitive answer: "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" will debut on Netflix on Friday, July 23, 2021. It's difficult to tell where the series was in the production pipeline when Smith announced it at Power-Con, but they obviously went right to work if they managed to wrap up production in just over a year while in the midst of a global pandemic. We should note that July 23 is only the first part of the season, with five episodes going up for streaming on that date. Hopefully, we'll get some indication about the second bath of "Revelation" episodes soon after the initial premiere.
Smith took to Twitter in November 2019 to share that the voice cast was about to begin recording their parts, so that means the second half shouldn't be too far away. If this is the case, Netflix will need to figure out where it can fit the second half of "Revelation" into its release schedule; of course, we'll be keeping an eye out for an official announcement, which we expect to arrive sooner rather than later. Netflix doesn't shy away from positive PR when they know viewers are flocking to a new show, as shown when "Bridgerton" obliterated all previous records for viewership on the streaming service. If "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" turns out to be the hit that Netflix hopes it will be, they won't waste any time moving up the release of the remaining episodes for the series.
Who is in the cast of Masters of the Universe: Revelation?
"Masters of the Universe: Revelation" is already proving to be far glitzier than the '80s series we all know and love with its illustrious cast of triple-A talent (via The Hollywood Reporter). He-Man will have his expository shouting powered by Chris Wood of "Supergirl" and "The Vampire Diaries" fame. The biggest get of this series, however, is without a doubt Mark Hamill; in a truly inspired casting choice, he will be lending his incredible voice talents to iconic villain Skeletor.
Hamill may still be most well known for playing Luke Skywalker in the "Star Wars" franchise, but he's almost as famous for his stellar body of voice acting work — he has performed almost every animated iteration of the Joker, for example, since the '90s. More recently, he has been putting his evil shriek to work as SkekTek the Scientist in the other big '80s nostalgia revival series on Netflix, "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance," so becoming Skeletor is a perfect fit for his style (He's very good at those pitched "mraaaahs").
The celebrity train doesn't stop there, as we continue down the long list of Eternia's friends and enemies. The cast includes Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela; Liam Cunningham as Man-At-Arms; Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn; Diedrich Bader as King Randor/Trap Jaw; Alicia Silverstone as Queen Marlena; Stephen Root as Cringer; Griffin Newman as Orko; Susan Eisenberg as Sorceress; Kevin Michael Richardson as Beast Man; Henry Rollins as Tri-Klops; Jason Mewes as Stinkor; Alan Oppenheimer as Moss Man; Justin Long as Roboto; Tony Todd as Scare Glow; Phil LaMarr as He-Ro; Cree Summer as Priestess; Smith's daughter Harley Quinn Smith as Ileena; Tiffany Smith as Andra; and Kevin Conroy, the Batman to Hamill's Joker in "Batman: The Animated Series," as Mer-Man.
What is the plot of Masters of the Universe: Revelation?
Netflix's sparse webpage for the series has a brief one-sentence summary blurb: "After a calamitous battle fractures Eternia, Teela and an unlikely alliance must prevent the end of the Universe in this sequel to the '80s classic." Netflix's teaser doesn't provide much more context, but by the power of Grayskull, it feels (and sounds) like a direct continuation of the 1980s, complete with 95 seconds of action set to Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero."
There is an interesting nugget buried in the producing credits: the VP of Mattel TV, Rob David. At first blush, that's no big deal, because it's very common for IP executives to receive executive producing credit, but the twist here is that Rob David was the writer on a 15-issue "Masters of the Universe" comic series titled "The Eternity War" that was published by DC from 2014 to 2016.
The comics' story isn't centered only on Skeletor and He-Man — there's a bigger Big Bad named Hordak — but the story is about a no-holds-barred war for the soul of Eternia, with big battles, noble sacrifices, and bloody carnage. While this new series is likely not a direct adaptation, elements from the comics could be incorporated.
What the plot of "Revelation" will probably not include, considering their absence from the cast list, is He-Man's sister She-Ra and her many ancillary characters. Netflix's "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power" animated series has no announced connection to Revelation, and the two shows likely won't connect at all, because "She-Ra" has been running just fine on its own steam for four seasons.
It appears that we'll just have to wait to see exactly what kind of story Smith and company are cooking up for us. Fortunately, the wait is nearly over, and with all of the love that Smith, David, and the rest of the crew are pouring into this adaptation, we're not worried in the least.
Who is composing the music for Masters of the Universe: Revelation?
If you had any worries about the professional credentials of the crew behind the scenes, the composer for "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" should ease your fears. The animated Netflix show's composer is none other than the award-winning Bear McCreary. Longtime fans of "The Walking Dead" were introduced to his music from the first moment of the opening credits, and he remains one of the longest-tenured people attached to the AMC show.
His career has spanned multiple genres and mediums. McCreary got his start in television on the 2004 version of "Battlestar Galactica," where he scored almost all of the 76 episodes of the sci-fi hit that spawned a new generation of fans. From there, he went to work on several seasons of "Eureka" and "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" before he created the iconic opening theme for an hordes upon hordes of walkers. McCreary's film work is rooted in horror, where he created the music for films like "Rest Stop" and "Wrong Turn 2: Dead End." As his star rose, he scored bigger and more widely known movies, including "10 Cloverfield Lane," "Godzilla: King of the Monsters," and the 2019 reboot of "Child's Play."
His biggest professional accomplishment, however, came in video games: 2018's "God of War." The PlayStation 4 exclusive was a mega hit for Sony, selling more than 10 million copies in a little over a year after its release. For his work on the Norse mythology-inspired action epic, McCreary won a BAFTA and four Game Audio Network Guild awards.
Kevin Smith revealed McCreary as the composer in February 2021, and @NetflixGeeked posted a video of Smith's reaction to hearing the "metal maestro's" work for the first time. Smith is left visibly teary-eyed by the end of the clip, which should tell fans of "Revelation" that the music is in the most capable of hands.
What about the prequel for Masters of the Universe: Revelation?
For those of you who just can't wait until July 23, Dark Horse Comics is getting a top-tier team of writers and artists to hold you over before "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" premieres. Four issues of a prequel comic, also titled "Masters of the Universe: Revelation," are scheduled for release, with #1 now available for pre-order everywhere comics are sold. Kevin Smith and Rob David, two of the names behind the Netflix show, are also in charge of writing the comic series, along with Tim Sheridan ("Superman: Man of Tomorrow" and "Reign of the Supermen").
The comic has some heavyweights in the visual department, as well: drawings by Mindy Lee ("Bounty," "Crimson Lotus"), color from Rico Renzi ("Spider-Gwen," "Sundowners"), and letters by Deron Bennett ("Batgirl," "Overwatch: Tracer – London Calling"). Stjepan Seijc, a veteran of "He-Man: The Eternity War," drew the cover of the first issue, and Dave Wilkins will provide covers for the remaining three issues. Each issue will have at least one variant cover, drawn by many other talented artists.
The release of a comic book for "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" is a nice callback to the original '80s cartoon, which also contained comic books that were included with the release of each new action figure. This prequel is said to explore the aftermath of an attack on King Radnor, He-Man's father. The creature sent in the attack is somehow linked to He-Man's sword, and he sets off after Skeletor and Evil-Lyn.
"Masters of the Universe: Revelation" #1 will hit comic shelves and digital storefronts on July 9, 2021. The other three issues will release on August 11, September 9, and October 13. If we're lucky, by the time the fourth issue is released, we might have a better idea of when the second half of the "Revelation" series will premiere.
What's happening with the other Masters of the Universe show on Netflix?
As mentioned earlier, "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" isn't the only revival in the works for Netflix, He-Man, and the rest of the crew. Mattel and Netflix are collaborating on a new production, simply titled "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe." Unlike the anime-inspired "Revelation," this show will take on a more traditionally modern visual hue, with the target audience skewing much younger.
At the moment, details on the "He-Man" show are very scarce. We know that the storylines will be new, and that Skeletor is the center of the conflict, according to a corporate briefing from Mattel. Rob David is also on board for this show, but this time he is joined by Christopher Keenan ("Batman Beyond," "Justice League") and Adam Bonnett ("Descendants"). Those are three excellent credentials to have on your resume if you're planning to revive a TV show as revered as "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe."
Susan Corbin ("Voltron") and Jeff Matsuda (2007's "TMNT" and "The Batman") are signed as producers for this new take on "He-Man," with Bryan Q. Miller ("Smallville, "Sleepy Hollow," "Arrow") attached as a story editor. Animation is coming via House of Cool and CGCG, who both helped to create Guillermo del Toro's "Trollhunters."
The onslaught of "He-Man" lore hasn't stopped there. Mattel has released new versions of the action figures that originally spawned the '80s TV show (There is some serious "Inception" action here, with action figures based on a TV show based on older action figures). An additional "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" animated film is in the works, but no other information about the movie is currently available.