In what's sure to be a casting announcement that splits opinions, it's been confirmed (via SFFGazette.com) that Suicide Squad and Morbius star Jared Leto has joined the cast of Masters of the Universe as the villainous Skeletor.
The actor, who won an Oscar for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, is known for his transformative performances whether it's The Joker, a Living Vampire, or even Paolo Gucci (the results of his work, however, are typically mixed). As Skeletor, Leto will be squaring off with Nicholas Galitzine's He-Man.
Bumblebee director Travis Knight is helming the movie about Eternia's greatest warrior and the filmmaker has also tapped Sam C. Wilson (House of the Dragon) as Trap Jaw; Kojo Attah (The Beekeeper) as Tri-Klops; and Hafthor Bjornsson (Game of Thrones) as Goat Man.
Alongside Leto as Skeletor, they join a cast that includes Alison Brie (Promising Young Woman) as Skeletor's lieutenant, Evil-Lyn; Camila Mendes (Riverdale) as He-Man’s trusted companion, Teela; and Idris Elba (Thor) as Teela's father, Man-at-Arms.
Whether Leto will don makeup effects to bring this iconic villain to life or play him through motion capture remains to be seen, though the latter seems likely. The actor is no stranger to voiceover roles as he previously played the Hatbox Ghost in Disney's Haunted Mansion.
While plot details are being kept under wraps, we know that Knight's collaborator on Wildwood, Chris Butler (ParaNorman), penned the latest draft of the screenplay. David Callaham and Aaron and Adam Neem previously took a crack at it.
It's previously been reported that Masters of the Universe 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."
It continues, "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!"
He-Man is the heroic protagonist of the Masters of the Universe franchise, which originated with a line of action figures produced by Mattel in the early 1980s. He-Man is the alter ego of Prince Adam, the royal son of King Randor and Queen Marlena in the kingdom of Eternia.
When Prince Adam raises his magical Sword of Power and declares, "By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!" he transforms into He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe.
The character gained widespread popularity through the animated television series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, which aired from 1983 to 1985, spawning a vast array of merchandise, comic books, and a cult following. Netflix rebooted the property with 2021's Masters of the Universe: Revelation.
Masters of the Universe arrives in theaters on June 5, 2026.