Amazon MGM's Masters of the Universe arrived in theatres on Friday, and the latest box office updates do not bode well for the reboot's staying power.
The movie claimed the No. 2 spot with a $29.3 million debut in North America, while taking in just $25 million from 86 overseas markets for a global total of $54 million. Not a great start for a film that is believed to have a production budget of close to $200 million, not factoring in additional costs.
So, what went wrong?
The PG-13 fantasy adventure was met with a mostly positive reception from critics (though it's worth noting that its Rotten Tomatoes score has slipped to 66%), and fans of the classic cartoon seem to have embraced this colourful, comedic adaptation. But the soft opening and a "B" CinemaScore would seem to indicate that general audiences aren't quite as taken with the self-aware silliness on display in practically every scene.
Taking this material too seriously would have been a mistake, of course, but director Travis Knight and his writers really should have been more conscious of the fact that MOTU hasn't been popular since the '80s. Yes, people who grew up with the animated series will be on board, but the simple fact is that a lot of cinemagoers who have never seen a single episode will not be as appreciative of the movie's goofy tone.
For all intents and purposes, Masters of the Universe is a comedy with sci-fi and fantasy elements, and a lot of the jokes are not going to land for anyone over the age of 10 - the same age the 45 - 50 year-olds who are going to see this movie were the last time anyone cared about He-Man!
That may sound a little harsh, but the fact remains that this property has never really had mass appeal beyond its dedicated fanbase, or the same cultural impact as Star Wars or even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, for example.
To be fair, there's no way the studio could have predicted that two low-budget horror movies, Obsession and Backrooms, were going to become the box office juggernauts they have, and they may have also underestimated the draw of another Scary Movie.
At the end of the day, there's no guarantee of box office success, even when a movie appears to tick all the right boxes. MGM Studios' Head of Domestic Theatrical Distro, Kevin Wilson, would have us believe that MOTU is right where it needs to be.
"This weekend represents a very solid start for Masters of the Universe and the passionate, multigenerational audience response we're seeing around the world has been fantastic Travis Knight and the entire cast and filmmaking team have delivered something truly special, and this opening is exactly the kind of critical first moment that validates our holistic distribution strategy—building awareness and engagement that will carry well beyond the theatrical window."
There's still time for MOTU to find its feet, but movies rarely recover from such a disappointing debut, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if Amazon announced a streaming date sooner rather than later.
"In MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE, Director Travis Knight brings the legendary franchise back to the big screen in this epic live-action adventure. After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) back to Eternia where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor (Jared Leto). To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), and embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe."
Masters of the Universe stars Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam/He-Man, Camila Mendes as Teela, Jared Leto as Skeletor, Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms, Morena Baccarin as The Sorceress and James Purefoy and Charlotte Riley as Adam's parents, King Randor and Queen Marlena. Alison Brie will also feature as Skeletor's second-in-command, Evil-Lyn.
Sam C. Wilson will play Trap Jaw, with Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops, and Kristin Wiig recently joined the cast as the voice of Roboto.
Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will produce, along with DeVon Franklin.