MORBIUS Actor Jared Leto Reportedly Offered Skeletor Role In MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Movie

MORBIUS Actor Jared Leto Reportedly Offered Skeletor Role In MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Movie

Though we have no idea if he has accepted, Jared Leto has reportedly been offered the role of Skeletor in the upcoming live-action Masters of the Universe movie...

By MarkCassidy - Sep 11, 2024 08:09 AM EST
Source: Via Toonado.com

As Amazon MGM and Mattel continue to cast the main roles in the upcoming live-action Masters of the Universe reboot, we may know which actor is being courted to play the villainous Skeletor.

According to Jeff Sneider, none other than Jared Leto has been offered the role. 

Leto will be very familiar to CBM fans, having played the Joker in David Ayer's Suicide Squad, and the titular Spider-Man villain in Sony's much-maligned Morbius. He also appeared in Blade Runner 2049, and has a key role in Disney's upcoming TRON: Ares.

If he accepts, Leto will join Nicholas Galitzine (Purple Hearts, Red, White & Royal Blue, The Idea of You) as Prince Adam/He-Man, Riverdale alum Camila Mendes as his right-hand woman and (possible) love-interest, Teela, and the recently-cast Alison Brie (GLOW, Community) as Skeletor's second-in-command, Evil-Lyn.

Previous rumors have claimed that Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, Les Misérables) was in contention to play the iconic baddie.

He-Man's nemesis was played by Frank Langella in the previous live-action movie, and voiced by Star Wars legend Mark Hamill in the recent Netflix Masters of the Universe Revelations series.

After numerous false starts, Netflix was all set to develop a feature take on the beloved animated series back in 2022, but we recently got word that the latest attempt to get the project off the ground had also fallen by the wayside.

However, we'd later learn that Amazon/MGM Studios had acquired the movie, with Bumblebee director Travis Knight in talks to helm. The movie is now set to hit theaters on June 5, 2026.

Chris Butler rewrote the script from an initial draft by David Callaham (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings). Previously, the Nee Brothers (The Lost City) were attached to direct.

An updated synopsis was recently revealed, it sounds like this adaptation will be making at least one major change to the established lore.

The story follows “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!”

There have been several different takes on Prince Adam's origin in the various animated shows and comic books, but this is the first time the character will grow up on Earth before making his way back to Eternia as an adult - although he '80s live-action movie starring Dolph Lundgren was primarily set on Earth.

Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Steve Tisch will produce, along with DeVon Franklin.

Netflix reportedly spent almost $30 million in development costs over two years working on the project, before deciding to walk away when the budget, originally set for more than $200 million, could not be meaningfully reduced.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Live-Action Movie Casts GLOW Star Alison Brie As Evil-Lyn
Related:

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Live-Action Movie Casts GLOW Star Alison Brie As Evil-Lyn

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Movie Casts RIVERDALE Alum Camila Mendes As Teela
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MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE Movie Casts RIVERDALE Alum Camila Mendes As Teela

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ItsNotForMeWahh
ItsNotForMeWahh - 9/11/2024, 8:32 AM
His best role was when he got the shit beat out of him in Fight Club
captainwalker
captainwalker - 9/11/2024, 2:26 PM
@ItsNotForMeWahh - He is a pathetic actor.
mountainman
mountainman - 9/11/2024, 8:38 AM
Potentially hot take: I actually like this casting. Sure Leto’s method acting can seem a bit much and hasn’t always produced the best results. But the guy CAN act. And Skeletor will ideally be portrayed as over the top and a bit flamboyant as he traditionally has been vs being a typical brooding bad guy.

Or it could turn out as bad as some of his other recent roles. I don’t know. Just please don’t cast some generic bad guy actor that is going to turn Skeletor into brooding evil bad guy. Because that isn’t who the character is.

I’d prefer Nic Cage to Jared Leto if we are going for actors in this category though.
Matador
Matador - 9/11/2024, 9:17 AM
@mountainman - Wow Nic Cage as Skeletor that be something; I think I want to watch that.
mountainman
mountainman - 9/11/2024, 9:19 AM
@Matador - He could just channel his Dracula from Renfield and slightly tweek it. Perfect Skeletor.
Matador
Matador - 9/11/2024, 9:32 AM
@mountainman - Nic Cage the man of a thousand credits is our modern Lon Chaney.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/11/2024, 9:36 AM
@mountainman - I have a concept of a plan to make it work, you'll hear about it in a couple of years lmao
mountainman
mountainman - 9/11/2024, 9:51 AM
@bobevanz - Yes!!!
mountainman
mountainman - 9/11/2024, 9:53 AM
@Matador - Absolutely. Dude has been in some good movies and bad movies. But he always gives it his all.
Matador
Matador - 9/11/2024, 9:57 AM
@mountainman - Still haven't got a chance to watch Pig so will have to find time but did see The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent that was hilariously stupid.
The1st
The1st - 9/11/2024, 3:20 PM
@mountainman - Agree. Whoever they get needs to bring that hammy gravitas Frank Langella did. Meg Foster too for that matter.

?si=3rNPAIteNv7fSUfz
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 9/11/2024, 8:40 AM
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Matchesz
Matchesz - 9/11/2024, 8:49 AM
Crazy they keep giving this guy chances, he’s not even a particularly good actor. He must have dirt on someone
S8R8M
S8R8M - 9/11/2024, 9:06 AM
Anyone else and no to Brolin too
AscendedExtra
AscendedExtra - 9/11/2024, 9:12 AM
Please God, no. Who on God's green one with any connection to the MotU movie thought he would be a good fit for Skeletor?

They need to get someone like Willem Dafoe. If they do Skeletor right, we won't see his face, but we'll instantly know his voice.
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 9/11/2024, 9:17 AM
he is still the second best live action Morbius that we've had so you gotta respect that
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Matador
Matador - 9/11/2024, 9:18 AM
Just please no more forehead tattoos.
xfan320
xfan320 - 9/11/2024, 9:24 AM
30 Seconds to Eternia
BillyBatson1000
BillyBatson1000 - 9/11/2024, 9:32 AM
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TheNewYorker
TheNewYorker - 9/11/2024, 9:43 AM
For such a good actor it’s pretty funny how his name immediately makes people cringe at the thought of him being casted in a film. Regardless of the role LOL
Madman
Madman - 9/11/2024, 9:48 AM
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Ikusa
Ikusa - 9/11/2024, 9:53 AM
I was hoping for Pedro Pascal but then I realized this isn't from Disney.
Forthas
Forthas - 9/11/2024, 10:06 AM
This is not a good casting choice at all. They do not know what to do with Leto. I could see him as Sebastian Shaw or Vandal Savage.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 9/11/2024, 10:07 AM
I’m by no means a fan of Leto’s but I do think he could pull off Skeletor depending on the characterization since it’s been different throughout the years…

Honestly , I think he could portray the more menacing & darker version but I would prefer the more cackling and maniacal one (even something similar to his Hatbox Ghost from the Haunted Mansion could work).

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Anyway , interested to see the backstory if any they go with for this version (in some , he’s been the brother of King Randor who is Prince Adam/He-Man’s father amongst others)…

Cautiously optimistic for the film so fingers crossed!!.
FinnishDude
FinnishDude - 9/11/2024, 10:33 AM
WarMonkey
WarMonkey - 9/11/2024, 10:38 AM
Stupid and terrible casting choice. He's already gonna ruin the Tron movie so he may as well do it again to He-Man.

Regardless, as a He-Man fan who still has his Castle Greyskull and love for the franchise I was already out at “10-year-old Prince Adam who crashed to Earth in a spaceship..."
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 9/11/2024, 10:43 AM
He better have that high pitched whiney voice and menacing laugh at all the dastardly evil shenanigans he manufactures. ?si=ldXFa7GZwVR3f6eo
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 9/11/2024, 11:06 AM
I don't particularly like this casting, but let's not fool ourselves, this movie is gonna be a trainwreck one way or the other!
ProfessorWhy
ProfessorWhy - 9/11/2024, 11:53 AM
Sean Penn please
TheTurd
TheTurd - 9/11/2024, 12:05 PM
Requiem for Skeletor, he can do it!
RolandD
RolandD - 9/11/2024, 12:16 PM
Didn’t he already play Skeletor?
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TREE24K
TREE24K - 9/11/2024, 1:31 PM
Okay with Leto I guess. But for god's sakes, leave Earth out of my He-Man movie. Unneeded AF.
pucrepeap
pucrepeap - 9/11/2024, 1:47 PM
It's a shame that they want to give this role to someone with skin. A skeleton should be the first and only choice.
PartyKiller
PartyKiller - 9/11/2024, 4:32 PM
How much money are studios going to burn trying to push Leto on audiences that DO NOT want to see him in movies?
LeoAtrox1
LeoAtrox1 - 9/11/2024, 9:11 PM
I honestly can't imagine anyone wanting to do this in live action. It's either a totally motion-capture gig, or a five-hour-a-day sit in a makeup chair. If they somehow convince Leto and his method-acting madness to play Skeletor, I shudder to think what that actually mean for his health and friendships. They'd be better off with a talented actor who has experience with fully motion-capture or prosthetic performances (Andy Serkes, Doug Jones, et al).

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