5 Best Movies Like Masters Of The Universe

"Masters of the Universe" has the power — the power to entertain, that is. Combining glorious '80s-coded camp with sword and sorcery action, it's a fantastical movie intended to excite and delight rather than win Oscars and receive a standing ovation at Cannes. It's the kind of film you can turn your brain off for, but, even so, you really want to see Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) transform into the warrior He-Man and smack the funny bone off Skeletor (Jared Leto) to save Eternia and bring peace and prosperity to all.

The critical reactions to the "Masters of the Universe" movie signify that it's a fun time best enjoyed with the spirit of Saturday morning cartoons. What happens after you watch it, though? Well, you can seek out 1987's "Masters of the Universe" starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man and Frank Langella as Skeletor, as well as the various animated series. But there are some other similarly themed films that will get the blood pumping and adrenaline flowing as you sit there with your loincloth and Power Sword on the couch. Here are the five best movies like "Masters of the Universe."

There's something about buff blonde dudes squaring off against cosmic dictators that hits differently. Ming the Merciless (Max von Sydow) didn't go for as drastic a skin peel as Skeletor, but he's still a menacing villain — his evil-looking eyebrows rival those rocked by Robbie Rotten from the beloved 2000s kids show "LazyTown."

In 1980's "Flash Gordon," Ming decides to accelerate Earth's destruction, because that's what bad guys do. However, an unexpected champion rises to save the third rock from the Sun: Flash Gordon (Sam J. Jones). The football star and his new pals Dale Arden (Melody Anderson) and Dr. Hans Zarkov (Chaim Topol) travel to the planet of Mongo to stop Ming and his nefarious forces. In this new world, there are many allies and foes, but it's up to the heroes to discover who they can trust here.

It isn't too difficult to draw comparisons between "Flash Gordon" and "Masters of the Universe," especially in terms of the setup and visual references. Both films utilize flashy sequences and over-the-top designs that make everything feel larger than life. In addition to this, there's another major link: Queen's six-string slinger Brian May worked on the soundtrack for both films. When that classic rock riff gets turned up to 11, the air guitars come out to play.

In terms of critical appraisal, well, let's just say that 1983's "Krull" isn't one of Roger Ebert's favorite movies of all time. In fact, the veteran film critic hated it with a passion. The majority of reviews at the time were pretty bad, but "Krull" has become something of a cult classic in the years since its release, and rightfully so — it's one of those films that is so bad it's good.

Prince Colwyn (Ken Marshall) needs to save his kidnapped beloved, Lyssa (Lysette Anthony), from the horrid Beast (voiced by Trevor Martin) and his Slayers who want to take over the planet Krull. These rogues travel around in a teleporting craft known as the Black Fortress. Prince Colywn must assemble a group of warriors and use the power of the weapon known as the Glaive to rescue the princess and stop the Slayers. The story throws in a healthy dose of magicians and shapeshifters into the mix because why not?

Filmation's iconic animated series "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" debuted in 1983, a few months after "Krull" arrived in cinemas. It isn't too difficult to see the ideas the show and toy line borrowed from "Krull." Swap out Krull for Eternia, the Glaive for the Power Sword, and change the names of the characters and this is largely the same thing. Consequently, these similar inspirations find their way into the 2026 live-action film, making "Krull" a must-watch for fans of "Masters of the Universe."

When Adam transforms into He-Man, he becomes an almighty and unstoppable hero — much like the Cimmerians warrior Conan, who's a fearsome one-man army in his own right. While there are comparisons to be drawn between "Masters of the Universe" and 1982's "Conan the Barbarian," the 1984 sequel, "Conan the Destroyer," more closely resembles the sword-and-sorcery shenanigans of He-Man's journey.

In this adventure, Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) receives the ultimate offer: The opportunity to bring back his partner, Valeria, from the dead. All he needs to do is accompany Princess Jehnna (Olivia d'Abo) on a dangerous mission to recover a mystical gem from a castle. Easy-peasy, right? Nope! A big obstacle is the fact that there's an evil wizard named Thoth-Amon (Pat Roach) who stands in their way, and this is only one perilous part of their quest.

Combining magic, action, and adventure, "Conan the Destroyer" knows how to keep the thrill alive for all 101 minutes. The sequel isn't as critically acclaimed as the brutish original, mostly due to it featuring far more camp and comedy than its predecessor. However, if you're a He-Man fan, you might just revel in this stylistic approach.

While 1985's "Red Sonja" featuring Brigitte Nielsen as the titular hero and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Lord Kalidor will no doubt appeal to fans of "Masters of the Universe," it's undeniably a bit rough around the edges (many would deem it one of the worst '80s action movies). The 2025 reboot starring Matilda Lutz is a far more accomplished film, and, as a reboot of a classic sword and sorcery property, it absolutely deserves a spot on this list. It might not have the same degree of camp nor the obvious bigger budget of "Masters of the Universe," but it slashes its way into the viewer's heart with its earnestness.

Red Sonja (Lutz) embarks on a revenge mission after her tribe is killed and her home, Hyrkania, is taken over. Years later, Sonja, who has dedicated her life to the goddess of the forest Asherah (Veronica Ferres), is captured and thrown into a gladiatorial tournament organized by the villainous Draygan (Robert Sheehan). Sonja fights for her survival and inspires others around her to do the same as she battles monsters — both human and otherwise — and demonstrates that freedom is well within their reach.

Much like "Masters of the Universe," "Red Sonja" is a story about liberation. Sonja is a hero who refuses to accept the status quo and, by taking a brave stance, she inspires those around her to do the same, giving them the confidence to overthrow the forces of evil. It also helps that there's a lot of action and fantasy elements to give the film its charm. There's a lot to love here for "Masters of the Universe" fans.

When Marvel Studios handed Chris Hemsworth's Thor to filmmaker Taika Waititi, the character fundamentally changed. Waititi chipped away at the seriousness of the previous films and brought more humor and fantasy to the table, culminating in 2017's "Thor: Ragnarok." The film sees Thor's sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) freed from her prison after the death of Odin (Anthony Hopkins), and she isn't here for the funeral. As the Goddess of Death, her plans veer more on the dramatic side. Thus, it falls on Thor and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to rally others to travel across the galaxy to defeat Hela and free Asgard from its impending doom.

Despite the high stakes, "Thor: Ragnarok" maintains a sense of humor throughout. It demands that viewers lose themselves in the colorful world and equally colorful characters, as the experience becomes just as important as the story being told here. Oh, and there are jokes — lots of jokes. Like "Masters of the Universe," "Thor: Ragnarok" is more about the journey than the final destination. It embraces all its silliness and chuckles into its sleeve at regular intervals. Yeah, the film runs on vibes most of the time and hardly anybody remembers the ending of "Thor: Ragnarok" now, but it's a movie that's easy to revisit and enjoy over and over again.