Idris Elba knows blockbusters and knows franchise filmmaking, but is he a master of that universe?
It’s reported that the actor is set to appear in the Travis Knight-directed film Masters of the Universe for Amazon MGM. Elba will play Duncan, aka Man-At-Arms.
The film will star Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, and Camila Mendes as Teela. Duncan is a prominent character in the franchise. He is a close ally of He-Man and serves as the royal mechanic, weapons expert, and general of the royal army of Eternia. Man-At-Arms and his adopted daughter Teela are co-members of the team surrounding Prince Adam.
Per Mattel, the film will follow 10-year-old Prince Adam, who crashed to Earth in a spaceship and was separated from his magical Power Sword—the only link to his home on Eternia. After tracking it down almost two decades later, Prince Adam is whisked back across space to defend his home planet against the evil forces of Skeletor. But to defeat such a powerful villain, Prince Adam will first need to uncover the mysteries of his past and become He-Man, the most powerful man in the Universe.
Masters of the Universe is produced by Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Robbie Brenner, and Steve Tisch. The film is a co-production between Escape Artists and Mattel. This is said to be the start of a new franchise, following the original Masters of the Universe animated series (1983–1985) and the three-season Netflix reboot Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
Elba will next voice Knuckles in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He’s also filming a thriller by Kathryn Bigelow for Netflix.
Masters of the Universe will be released exclusively in theaters worldwide on June 5, 2026.
