Mattel - Masters of the Universe: Mattel unleashes an ambitious second wave of figures and props ahead of the 2026 live-action film

By Mulder, 11 february 2026

The momentum surrounding Masters of the Universe continues to build as Mattel officially reveals the second wave of action figures and role-play items inspired by the upcoming live-action feature from Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel Studios, scheduled for theatrical release on June 5, 2026. First showcased during the major toy fair circuit with strong retailer buzz reported out of New York and Nuremberg this new lineup expands the movie-driven assortment while carefully segmenting its appeal between younger fans and adult collectors. Products begin rolling out globally on April 25, a strategic retail window designed to pre-heat shelves well ahead of the summer blockbuster season.

This second wave follows the debut of the Chronicles collector line, which immediately stood out at the Nuremberg Toy Fair 2026 for its premium 1:12 scale and unusually screen-accurate sculpts. Industry observers noted how aggressively Mattel is leaning into cinematic authenticity, a noticeable shift from traditional MOTU stylization toward actor likenesses, textured armor detailing, and higher articulation counts. The approach mirrors the tonal ambition of the film directed by Travis Knight, whose involvement signaled early on that this adaptation would aim for grounded spectacle rather than camp nostalgia. That philosophy clearly carries into the toy design language: these figures are positioned less as reinterpretations and more as miniature extensions of the film’s visual identity.

At the center of the collector offering sits the Chronicles Battle Cat figure, a release that quickly became a conversation piece among attendees thanks to its lifelike glass eyes, muscular sculpt, and posable jaw refinements rarely executed at this scale. With a removable saddle and head armor, the piece embraces display flexibility, allowing collectors to emphasize Battle Cat’s dual presence as both noble creature and armored war mount. The figure’s SRP of $39.99 reflects its “centerpiece” positioning within the line, and retailers reportedly highlighted it as one of the standout visual draws during private showroom previews.

The character assortment itself reinforces the film’s star-powered casting. The Chronicles He-Man figure translates Nicholas Galitzine’s portrayal into a highly articulated collectible complete with interchangeable hands and the iconic Power Sword, while Chronicles Teela captures Camila Mendes with movie-accurate armor and multiple weapon accessories, underlining the character’s expanded tactical presence hinted at in early production notes. Villain representation remains equally deliberate: Chronicles Skeletor, modeled after Jared Leto, leans into a darker, more textured armor aesthetic, preserving the unmistakable silhouette while modernizing surface detail. Meanwhile, Chronicles Evil-Lyn, inspired by Alison Brie, balances elegance and menace with 30 points of articulation and spellcasting display options, signaling the character’s likely narrative importance.

One of the more intriguing aspects of the reveal is how Mattel differentiates its play-focused 5.5-inch figures from the collector-centric Chronicles line. The smaller-scale figures, featuring 14 points of articulation, emphasize durability and kinetic posing, clearly engineered for active play. Characters such as He-Man, Skeletor, Teela, and Beast Man anchor this range, joined by variants like Power Sword Slash He-Man and Havoc Staff Attack Skeletor, which introduce action features aligned with cinematic combat beats. The design intent is obvious: recreate film energy through tactile mechanics rather than purely display aesthetics.

Beyond figures, the role-play category generated significant attention. The Roton Assault Vehicle revives one of the franchise’s most visually aggressive machines, now reimagined with spinning blades and projectile launchers to heighten interactive play. Equally theatrical is the Skeletor® Talking Mask, programmed with character phrases and signature laughter, designed to extend performance-based engagement. Completing the trio, the Power of Grayskull Power Sword™ integrates lights, sounds, and motion-activated vibration, pushing immersion into sensory territory typically reserved for higher-end electronic props. Collectively, these items reveal Mattel’s clear objective: bridge imaginative role-play with the film’s heightened mythic spectacle.

What stands out across both scales is the coherence of the visual strategy. Armor textures, facial sculpts, weapon proportions, and color grading appear tightly aligned with the live-action production’s aesthetic, photographed under dramatic lighting conditions in official imagery. This consistency suggests close coordination between Mattel Studios and the film’s creative departments, a collaboration increasingly common in franchise launches but rarely executed with this degree of sculptural fidelity across mass retail and collector tiers simultaneously.

The film itself remains one of 2026’s most closely watched fantasy releases. Directed by Travis Knight and written by Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, and Dave Callaham, the project features a cast led by Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, Jared Leto, Idris Elba, Morena Baccarin, James Purefoy, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson. With cinematography by Fabian Wagner and editing by Paul Rubell, the production aims to reintroduce Eternia to global audiences with contemporary scale while preserving the franchise’s mythological core: He-Man defending Eternia against Skeletor and safeguarding the secrets of Castle Grayskull.

For Mattel, this second wave represents more than a routine product expansion. It is a calculated reinforcement of a multi-tier strategy that merges cinematic storytelling, collector culture, and toyetic play patterns. Early reactions from the toy fair circuit indicate that retailers and collectors alike recognize the significance of the moment: Masters of the Universe is not merely returning to theaters, it is being re-architected as a modern, visually unified franchise ecosystem. If shelf presence, sculpt quality, and film reception align, Eternia’s long-awaited renaissance may extend far beyond nostalgia and firmly into a new generation of fandom.

You can discover the official photos in our Flickr page

Synopsis : 
He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe, battles the evil Skeletor to save the planet Eternia and protect the secrets of Castle Grayskull.

Masters of the Universe
Directed by Travis Knight
Written by Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, Dave Callaham
Story by Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, Alex Litvak, Michael Finch
Based on Masters of the Universe by Mattel
Produced by Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch, Robbie Brenner
Starring  Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Kristen Wiig, Jared Leto, Idris Elba
Cinematography : Fabian Wagner
Edited by Paul Rubell
Production companies : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Mattel Studios, Escape Artists
Distributed by Amazon MGM Studios (North America), Sony Pictures Releasing International (International)
Release date : June 5, 2026