Masters of the Universe flops in theaters, succeeds on streaming

The live‑action adaptation of Masters of the Universe earned just $114 million worldwide against a reported $170 million production budget, a result that disappointed for such a popular franchise. The film holds an 85% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes' Popcornmeter, based on more than 5,000 ratings, showing that many people enjoyed it even as the big‑screen turnout was weak. Director Travis Knight had high hopes for its theatrical run, but the numbers told a different story.

Box office disappointment

After the film left theaters, it found a much larger audience on streaming. Prime Video logged more than 1 billion minutes viewed in its first week, and the film became the most‑watched title in streaming that week. Knight said streaming was much more important to Amazon than the theatrical release, a strategy he admitted he did not understand when he signed on to direct. The streaming success suggested that many fans preferred to watch the adventure at home.

Knight described the streaming outcome as “bittersweet,” saying he wanted Amazon’s faith in the filmmakers to be rewarded with stronger theatrical sales. He said the film “deserved a better fate than it got,” but that he has made peace with it. He has also said the decision on a sequel is out of his control. Amazon insiders countered that the company weighs theatrical and streaming value together when greenlighting a project, and no sequel has been announced.