Even the most dedicated fan of Masters of the Universe knows that the franchise began as a toy line, and that the initial cartoon existed to entice kids to buy those toys. Yes, Masters of the Universe has expanded into multiple cartoon series, comic book runs, video games, and now a second (and hopefully more successful) feature film. But they all sprang from the desire to sell He-Man action figures.

Today, most fans would say that the toy connection remains a primary appeal of Masters of the Universe. So it’s quite fitting that the first good look we’re getting at some of the major characters for the upcoming Masters of the Universe film comes from toy promotions. Via Entertainment Weekly, these toys show us Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, complete with iconic costume, Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops, Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw, and Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, with sinister sorceress duds.

While far more detailed and articulate than those Mattel debuted back in 1982, these new figures carry the same spirit of the originals. They capture the franchise’s unique blend of sci-fi with sword & sandals fantasy, complete with the most idealized bodies this side of a Greek statue. The figures allow for a variety of poses, but they lend themselves best to the tense, crouching position that was the standard for the 1982 toys, accentuated even more here by the array of accessories that accompany the new versions.

The toy announcement is just the latest movie by Mattel and Amazon MGM to assure fans that this film will adhere to the franchise as they know it. The 1987 Cannon movie starring Dolph Lundgren and Frank Langella certainly has its supporters, but the movie deviated from the lore established in the cartoon and toys. Man-At-Arms and Teela bore little resemblance to their Saturday Morning counterparts, and new additions such as Gwildor and Blade replaced beloved members of the supporting cast.

Not so with the 2026 movie. As seen in the toy-line, Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba) sports green tights covered with gold armor and sports a blue helmet atop his mustachioed head. As Teela, Camila Mendes wears a gold vest over white pants and carries a staff-like shotgun. Most impressive of all might be Brie’s Evil-Lyn design, with its extravagant, pointed headpiece, flowing cape, and jagged breastplate (hopefully its more comfortable than the one that Meg Foster wore in 1987, which reportedly left her bruised). EW‘s shots show the actors holding their figures, demonstrating that Masters of the Universe 2026 is fully bringing the toys to life.

Such fidelity to the source material does not rule out levity. As demonstrated by the trailer released last week, director Travis Knight, co-founder of LAIKA and director of Kubo and the Two Strings, and his team of writers inject plenty of self-aware humor into the proceedings. It’s just that the jokes come from a deep love of all parts of the Masters of the Universe mythos, making even old Gen Xers feel like it’s 1982 again, and they’re playing with toys in their bedroom.

The post Masters of the Universe Toys Reveal Updates to Classic Characters appeared first on Den of Geek.