When the long-awaited Masters of the Universe live-action movie first hit the 2026 movie schedule, I would say I was moderately excited. I’m a Gen Xer who grew up in the ‘80s, and the original cartoon was appointment viewing when I got home from school every day, so reliving those old glories sounded like it could be fun. I even rewatched the 1987 live-action movie in anticipation.

I had my reservations, because even as a kid, I recognized that the plots of the shows were pretty flimsy. Now I’ve finally caught the movie with my Prime subscription, and I have to ask, why did we need this?

The Jokes Were Bad, And He-Man’s Story Was Frustrating

There are two big gripes I have with Masters of the Universe. One, the jokes really didn’t work for me at all. I completely appreciate what the writers (of which there were at least three) and director Travis Knight were trying to do: make the movie fun and cheeky, with a wink the audience acknowledging how silly the whole world of Eternia is, but the jokes didn’t land. The sexual innuendos felt both completely childish AND too adult for the material. I don’t know how they pulled that off, but they did.

My biggest gripe, though, was the origin story of Prince Adam/He-Man. In the cartoon, He-Man is a superhero who rarely shows any weakness (at least, I don’t remember there being a lot of pathos; maybe it went over my head). In the 2026 movie, Adam, played by Nicholas Galitzine, has been sent to live on Earth to escape the wrath of Skelator (Jared Leto, who is the best part of the movie). On Earth, he’s basically a goofy wimp. I hated that. Even worse, when he finally does return to Eternia with Teela (Camila Mendes), his newfound power is completely unearned. If you’re going to set up a hero’s journey, our hero has to struggle with more than a comic book store mannequin.

Which Leads To Ask: Why Was This Made, And For Whom?

I was left to struggle with the question of why Masters of the Universe was even made, and more importantly, who the target audience is. I mean, sure, I get why it was greenlit in the wake of the massive success of Barbie, but Barbie is an iconic toy that has transcended multiple generations. He-Man was a flash in the pan, comparatively. The toyline (and subsequent cartoon) was wildly popular, but only for a small window of time in the mid-’80s, and only with a specific age group (one I happen to fall right into).

I can’t say it left me satisfied, and theoretically, I’m at least one part of the target audience as a movie fan who grew up with He-Man. But it didn’t seem like it was made for me. It reinvents who Prince Adam is, and not very successfully, in my opinion. It also doesn’t feel like it was made for a new audience, either, because, again, it’s not like this is an enduring franchise on the level of Barbie, or even G.I. Joe for that matter. I think that’s reflected in the movie’s poor performance at the box office, despite mostly positive reviews.

Looking ahead to the 2027 movie schedule, there is another toyline from the same era releasing a new movie, Voltron, that I think shares a lot of commonalities with He-Man. Does the same fate lie ahead for it? Time will tell.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for Masters of the Universe. Read at your own risk!

Halfway through Masters of the Universe, I had a few things running through my mind. First off, I agree that Jared Leto is at his best in this movie, and second, I too questioned who raised Prince Adam on Earth. The biggest takeaway, however, is that I couldn't decide if I was watching a movie primarily aimed at adults, or something for all ages, provided parents are flexible on violence and raunchiness.

It was clear in my screening that not every parent with children in the audience was aware Masters of the Universe would feature double entendres for sex acts and some occasionally brutal violence. I don't blame them, because I didn't gather that from the trailer, but if that was the direction this movie was headed, why not shy away from some of the other more childish themes?

Masters Of The Universe Is Not A Movie For Kids, But It Acts Like One At Times

Masters of the Universe has plenty that would make parents second-guess taking their kid to it, and yet, large chunks of the plot play out as though I'm watching a movie tailored to children. Prince Adam yearns to return to Eternia, but rather than become a scientist who studies intergalactic travel, he adorns his room with photos he drew when he was a kid?

All of Masters of the Universe is like this, with the general vibe like it's a kids' movie that had one person who came in and said: "Let's make some wild moments for the parents." The end result is like if Robin Williams used his incredibly NSFW stand-up as improv during his voice work in Aladdin, which is a complicated way of saying it's weird.

I Think Had Masters Of The Universe Leaned Into The Older Audience Nostalgic For He-Man, It Could've Been Better

It's complicated for me to reconcile my feelings about Masters of the Universe. I think it was the right call for the movie not to take itself too seriously, but I think there were other ways to accomplish this without making a kids' movie that feels as though some risque moments were thrown in to justify the PG-13 rating it earned for its action sequences.

It almost reminds me of those old '80s movies that would not be PG today, which is a cool vibe we're not seeing a lot of in Hollywood. That said, I almost think the movie should've leaned a bit harder into the overall raunch of the movie, and maybe made it abundantly clear in the trailer that you may want to leave the kids at home for this one. It is, after all, a movie based on a children's cartoon, so I don't think the average person would even second-guess making it a family affair.

I think if you up the action and make things a bit bloodier, this movie firmly justifies the raunch and maybe even gets a few more looks from those in search of something different from the action/fantasy genre. My girlfriend thought going in this movie was tied to the upcoming 2026 Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday, because it gave her MCU vibes. I totally understand that too, because I think in some ways this movie is "Marvel-lite," and come to think of it, I would've cringed just as much with my young daughter in the theater as I did when I took her to Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

I do still think people should see Masters of the Universe, and maybe help it out at the box office. It still seems like Amazon may give it a sequel regardless of how it performs, and I'd love to see them tweak the tone if it happens.

Masters of the Universe, in many ways, follows in the footsteps of many of the best superhero movies ever: It’s all about a new superhero finding his or her way. I have no problem with this film doing the same things we have seen before. In fact, Masters of the Universe, being such a standard superhero movie, reminded me how much I used to enjoy them.

Often, I would see Marvel films during their initial theatrical releases. Master of the Universe is like those movies, but it deviates a bit from the standard great Marvel movie. These differences make Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine)’s hero journey more interesting.

Warning: Masters of the Universe spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Prince Adam Stumbles Along As He Became He-Man, And That Was Fun To Watch Because It Made Him More Human

Most film superheroes stumble along as they figure out their new powers. However, they eventually grow into them and develop confidence. They go from a nerd to the cool guy within the first half of the movie.

Prince Adam remains the nerd. Even with his big muscles, good looks, and new abilities, he's still pretty much the same Adam as he was at the start of the film. The movie opens with him not living up to expectations because he isn’t mastering combat like his peers.

Adult Adam now has a much bigger frame (thanks to Galitzine’s bulking up for the role), but is the same kind, goofy kid at heart. I loved that Adam doesn’t have a personality glow-up. If he did, it would imply that something was wrong with him from the start. But, besides being bad at combat, he's a kind soul. That is the key factor in being a good superhero.

Additionally, it feels more realistic that he doesn’t transform into a completely different person just because he has a new outfit and powers. He spent most of his life a certain way, so it would be weird if one change turned him into a new man. Adam also doesn’t feel like this overwhelmingly cool superhero. He feels human.

You could be friends with a Prince Adam. You might be intimidated by a Thor, Batman, Iron Man, or even one of the X-Men, but not Adam. He's your buddy.

Masters Of The Universe Showcases That His Heart, Not Muscles, Makes Him Heroic, And That Made Me Warm To Him

Adam’s hero journey shows him that he doesn’t need the sword for powers. The power was always within him. He just had to unlock it. Masters of the Universe ends with a funny, “and that’s our tale, kids” moment.

It highlights that Adam’s powers aren’t his muscles but his heart that makes him heroic. I adore a goofy superhero with a big heart. Therefore, I automatically adored Adam.

The film has plenty of great action scenes. They are some of my favorite parts of Masters of the Universe, but they aren’t what make Adam such a likable hero. He comes across as more of an average dude than many of his superhero peers. You could see anyone having a similar journey. That sort of weird guy in your office could be a superhero stuck on this planet. That’s why he’s socially awkward.

Adam’s whole persona emphasizes that a bit of childlike wonder, kindness, and unrelenting belief in something could take people far. They don’t need the perfect physique. They just need the right heart.

His Story Shows Anyone Can Become A Hero

Obviously, that’s not true in the sense that not everyone will suddenly develop superpowers. However, everyone can find a purpose and turn that into their hero’s journey. Adam’s purpose is to find his way back home. His backstory may have some plot holes, but that doesn’t matter because the overall theme of Adam’s story is that hope runs deep within him. His hope leads him home. It also keeps him focused on his mission, even when things seem bleak and impossible.

Unshakable hope is essential to any hero’s success. They must not let it die, even when their purpose may seem fruitless or out of reach. They must continue to push towards it. Adam is a prince and a superhero, but for a while, he’s just a man. It’s the humanity that he learns on earth that acts as one of his greatest strengths.

Humanity doesn’t make people weak, it makes them the hero. They just need to find the power within them and use it to accomplish great things. This is one of Masters of the Universe’s greatest and strongest messages.

I Love That Adam Tries To Use Words To Save The Day. This Proves Words Can Be Powerful Enough To Stop Evil

It’s played for laughs to some degree, but I loved that Adam stops physically fighting Skeletor (Jared Leto) to ask him if they can just talk about things. He knows that words hold a lot of power. There doesn’t have to be more bloodshed, senseless violence, and endless battles. It’s a funny moment but also a powerful one.

It’s true. Fighting doesn’t solve everything, and some resolution can come from talking things out. However, it depends on the audience. Skeletor is beyond reasoning with, so Prince Adam must speak to him in a language he understands: violence. Some madmen are beyond reasoning with.

Nonetheless, it’s still a good sentiment, and I wish more action movies would at least have their heroes try to talk more than fight.

By The End of Masters of The Universe, It Makes A Major Statement By Having Adam Still Be An Imperfect Hero

Adam isn’t suddenly the perfect hero by the end of Masters of the Universe. His friends actually continue to make fun of him and his dorky ways. The movie opts out of the He-Man bob, but it drops his hero name at the end. This is played for awe and claps, but it highlights that Adam is still the dork that we came to love throughout the film.

Masters of the Universe is another great movie that highlights Nicholas Galitzine’s onscreen charm. You want to continue to watch him as this lighthearted, kind superhero. You don’t suddenly want to see him as this ultra-cool and sleek one. He works best as a bit of a beefy nerd.

Despite the film’s box office numbers, I think it’s worth watching for the fun playful plot.

Catch Master of the Universe in theaters.

Nostalgia has been a powerful force in the entertainment industry for years, and Masters of the Universe hitting theaters sparked joy for fans of the original '80s toys and animated series. Nicholas Galitzine gained a ton of muscle to play He-Man, and has been getting lots of love for his performance. And the Idea of You actor spoke to CinemaBlend about one potential plot hole in the movie: Adam's foster parents on Earth.

Masters of the Universe's reviews praised the movie's comedy and visuals, as well as Galitzine's work as Adam Glenn/He-Man. As you can see in the video above, the 31 year-old actor spoke to CinemaBlend's Jeff McCobb, where we asked about one unanswered question: who raised Adam after he showed up on Earth as a child? Galitzine shared some of the BTS conversations that went this backstory, offering:

While we got to see Adam as both a kid in Eternia and an adult on Earth, there wasn't much information about what happened in between. And there was not even a line of dialogue about who raised the movie's protagonist after he crash landed on a new planet altogether.

While Masters of the Universe isn't making a ton of money at the box office, that doesn't take away from how passionate fans of the IP are. The fandom was likely wondering about Adam's backstory, but it sounds like Nicholas Galitzine and director Travis Knight did talk it out. As the actor went on to say:

There was clearly a great deal of care taken with the new MOTU movie, especially since Knight is a hardcore fan himself. Galitzine spoke to CinemaBlend about his character's signature bob haircut, but also confirmed he knows what happened to Adam while he was new to Earth. As he told us:

This offers so much-needed context and answers to a lingering question from Masters of the Universe. It appears that we didn't meet Adam's adopted family because he didn't really have one. Instead he bounced around a bit, possibly through the foster system. Although now I need a prequel to show how this all went down.

Masters of the Universe is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to see if it gets a sequel, which may offer more answers about Adam's backstory.

Nostalgia continues to be a powerful force in the entertainment industry. And after Barbie's record-breaking performance in theaters, Mattel has brought another major IP to the big screen: Masters of the Universe. Actor Nicholas Galitzine got jacked to play Adam Glenn/He-Man, but it turns out that there are some exercises that his co-star Camila Mendes has him beat on. Let's break it all down.

In the lead-up to the release of Masters of the Universe, it's been made clear that Galitzine gained a ton of muscle in order to bring He-Man to life on the big screen. He kept it up while shooting, frequently working out with Teela actress Camila Mendes in the process. As you can see in the above video, the Riverdale star spoke to CinemaBlend about being He-Man's gym buddy. She was asked which workout she was superior at, responding with:

Take that, He-Man. Because while folks have been drooling over Nicholas Galitzine's new physique, there were some exercises where bigger wasn't better. Namely, pilates, and any other workouts that were more about flexibility. That's where Mendes shone, and was able to one-up her scene partner as they maintained their fitness together.

Masters of the Universe reviews have praised the movie's comedy, as well as how great Galitzine looks as the movie's protagonist. And while Camila Mendes' Teela costume wasn't as revealing as the cartoons, she still worked hard to look at strong as possible as the Guard of Eternia. In the same conversation with CinemaBlend, the Do Revenge actress still gushed about her hulking co-star, offering:

Listen, you can't win them all. And while the Idea of You actor has more upper body strength, Camila Mendes has him beat when it comes to flexibility and pilates. It's too bad that we don't get to see Teela and Adam spar in Masters of the Universe. Instead, they're working on the same side throughout its 140-minute runtime. But hey, maybe these allies and friends can come to blows if a sequel ends up being ordered.

It should be fascinating to see how Masters of the Universe does at the box office, and if it ends up starting a new movie franchise. There are generations of fans out there who love He-Man and the rest of the characters, but only time will tell if that translates to money at the box office.

Masters of the Universe is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. So fans can see just how jacked Mendes and Galitzine got for themselves.

After Barbie's record-breaking performance at the box office, it should be no surprise that Mattel quickly moved forward with more film projects. Case in point: the new Masters of the Universe movie, which arrives in theaters this weekend starring The Idea of You's Nicholas Galitzine. The movie is directed by Travis Knight, who recently admitted he's seen the online discourse, as well as folks prematurely hating on the next live-action He-Man adaptation.

What we know about Masters of the Universe has been limited, but that changes this weekend when it gets its wide theatrical release. During an interview with IndieWire, the director got real about folks who are criticizing the movie before even seeing it. In his words:

He's not wrong. Folks love to hate on movies and TV online; it's simply the way the internet works as of late. And when bringing a campy franchise like He-Man to life for modern audiences, Travis Knight was probably prepared for those naysayers. We'll just have to wait and see if people change their tune once the movie has its wide theatrical release.

Critical response to Masters of the Universe has been pretty positive, especially related to both the comedic beats and He-Man himself, Nicholas Galitzine. That's likely helping the movie's director keep his head on straight and not give the haters too much power. Later in the same interview, Knight shared his understanding of He-Man fans who might be skeptical about the new movie. As he put it:

The trailer for Masters of the Universe showed some of the care that was taken in bringing Eternia to life in live-action. Travis Knight is a self-proclaimed superfan who grew up playing with the original toys and watching the animated series. That, as well as his previous history in the film world, seemingly prepared the Bumblebee director to let hate roll off his back. Instead, he's letting the new blockbuster speak for itself.

Masters of the Universe hits theaters this weekend as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll have to see how audiences ultimately respond to the movie, and if the online hate quiets down as a result.

Following the wild success of Barbie, Mattel is bringing another iconic IP to the big screen with Travis Knight's Masters of the Universe. The movie stars Nicholas Galitzine as Adam Glenn / He-Man, with the actor putting on a ton of muscle to look superhero fit. It turns out he almost rocked the character's signature bob, with Galitzine telling CinemaBlend why they decided to change up his hairdo for the big screen.

What we know about Masters of the Universe has been fairly limited, but the cast chatted with CinemaBlend's own Jeff McCob ahead of the movie's release. As you can see in the video above, Nicholas Galitzine was asked about He-Man's cartoon bob, with the Idea of You actor saying:

Points were made. While Masters of the Universe reviews have praised the movie's comedy, giving Galitzine a cartoon-accurate bob as He-Man might have been just a bit too goofy. While he's still got long blonde rocks, the cut was made slightly less goofy than the source material.

Clearly there was special care taken with how He-Man looks in Masters of the Universe, even apart from the actor's physicality. He later spoke to CinemaBlend about the difference between He-Man's hair and Adam's when he's not transformed. Galitzine said:

As someone who was lucky enough to see Masters of the Universe early, I have to say that the process behind finding He-Man's hair really paid off. On top of Adam getting more ripped when he transforms, his hair gets an upgrade. And I found myself staring at He-Man's hairdo while watching the movie on the big screen.

It was fascinating to see how various characters were adapted in live-action for the new Masters of the Universe movie. While Teela got a new costume that was less revealing, He-Man is more accurate to the source material. We'll just have to see if the movie gets a sequel, and if Nicholas Galitzine's protagonist ends up with a new look.

Masters of the Universe will hit theaters on June 5th as part of the 2026 movie release list. That includes He-Man and his slightly less goofy haircut.

After the success of Barbie, it was a given that we’d be seeing more movies based on classic toys, specifically of the Mattel variety. Travis Knight’s Masters of the Universe, which hits the 2026 movie calendar on June 5 brings He-Man, Teela, Skeletor and more to life, as Adam Glenn is reunited with his Sword of Power, returning to an Eternia that has been taken over by Skeletor. Reviews are in for the upcoming action film, and I was surprised by the main thing critics disagreed on.

The movie brings the jokes, but the question is whether or not they work — or are even funny — and that is definitely not the disagreement I expected to see in the Masters of the Universe reviews. After all, the early reactions lauded Nicholas Galitzine and his comedic timing, so what’s all the fuss about? As far as Clint Gage of IGN is concerned, there’s no problem. He gives it a “Great” 8 out of 10, agreeing with director Travis Knight’s decision to not take anything too seriously, writing:

Pete Hammond of Deadline also praises Nicholas Galitzine’s performance, as well as the director for keeping the tone light and plot moving. Hammond says:

Frank Scheck of THR, however, says Masters of the Universe is “exhaustingly jokey,” as the director drives home the fact that they are in on the joke. The humor is juvenile and the dialogue is worse, the critic says. It’s hard for him to imagine this appealing to anyone who isn’t already a fan of this franchise. Scheck continues:

Germain Lussier of Gizmodo says it’s a shame that Masters of the Universe “isn’t a good movie,” because the passion that all involved have for the franchise is very clear. The actors are game, but it fails to hit the mark of a movie that will appeal both to its longtime fanbase and to newcomers alike. Forcing humor into every situation is part of the problem, Lussier says, writing:

Guy Lodge of Variety says Nicholas Galitzine almost pulls off the impossible task of making us care about our hero’s battle while simultaneously laughing at his loincloth. But at 140 minutes and an overabundance of self-deprecation, Masters of the Universe is only likely to draw laughs from the over-40 crowd who grew up playing with He-Man toys. Lodge writes:

As unlikely as it may seem, it's the jokes that the critics don’t agree on, but this movie still definitely sounds like a viable option for those looking for a couple of hours of (hopefully) laughs and fight scenes. If you’re excited to draw your own conclusions about this movie, you’ll want to get your ticket for Masters of the Universe, because this one hits theaters on Friday, June 5.

Right now, lots of eyes are on Nicholas Galitzine because we’re about to see him play He-Man in Masters of the Universe. However, some of his other fans (like me) are also highly anticipating seeing him back as Prince Henry in the Red, White and Royal Blue sequel. Although when he comes back on screen as the beloved royal in that romance, he’s going to look a bit different, and that’s because of his blockbuster on the 2026 movie schedule.

When CinemaBlend’s Jeff McCobb spoke to Galitzine about Masters of the Universe, he also asked if Henry would be a little bulkier in Red, White and Royal Wedding since it was filmed after he played He-Man. In response, the actor said:

This all makes a whole lot of sense to me. Nicholas Galitzine bulked up big time for Masters of the Universe. He’s previously said that getting in shape for this movie was “the hardest thing [he’s] ever done," and he has been clear that this process wasn’t for the faint of heart and that it took a very long time. However, it paid off, as the film’s director, Travis Knight, told EW his leading man didn’t just get in shape, he looked “like a totally different dude” after going through this process.

Plus, to top it all off, Masters of the Universe’s first reactions have been solid, showing that this was all worth it. However, this commitment to bulking up and his transformation will impact other projects.

Specifically, with Red, White and Royal Wedding, which is a sequel to the romance Red, White and Royal Blue, Galitzine will be returning to a character he played three years ago. While he’s always been in shape, Prince Henry was by no means bulky. So, as the actor who plays him said, the next time we see this royal, he’ll look like he’s spent a bit more time at the gym than he did during the early days of his relationship with Alex.

For context, Red, White and Royal Wedding went into production in January this year, and it wrapped in March. Masters of the Universe wrapped up its production in June of 2025, per Galitzine’s Instagram. So, he had some time to get out of He-Man shape. However, as the actor told us, the frame he developed while playing this character did stick around.

Now, to see Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, you can catch Masters of the Universe in theaters on June 5. Meanwhile, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see this slightly more jacked version of Prince Henry, because Red, White and Royal Wedding does not have a release date yet. However, you can go back and see the actor as a royal and before he was He-Man, by streaming Red, White and Royal Blue with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Until very recently, I wasn't sure if I was going to see Masters of the Universe in theaters, however the decision has now been made. The ticket has been purchased, and I want to talk about a couple of reasons why I'm planning to see the He-Man film, which arrives soon on the 2026 movie schedule.

While nostalgia is a factor, it wasn't enough to make Masters of the Universe a must-see-in-theaters for me. My sisters and I were '80s kids and the prime age for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe when the animated series aired on TV. We loved that show, and the She-Ra spinoff that followed. Of course, we had some of the toys, and we saw the 1987 live-action film starring Dolph Lundgren and a pre-Friends Courteney Cox.

When I learned that they were making a new Masters of the Universe movie, I recall feeling a spark of nostalgia, but otherwise, I was fairly neutral. As fondly as I remember watching the original show as a kid, I can't say that I've been clamoring for a reboot. Still, I was curious enough to keep an eye on the promotions for Travis Knight's movie, and that brings us to the things that sold me on seeing it sooner rather than later...

The Trailers Really Look Fun

The story centers on Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) returning to his home world of Eternia after spending more than a decade living on Earth. With the Sword of Power and the help of his friends Teela (Camila Mendes) and Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), he's tasked with trying to save his world and fight Skeletor (Jared Leto).

I like the mix of humor and fantastical action featured in the trailers for the new movie. The footage has given us a good glimpse of the cast and the journey Adam is on. Also, I need to admit that I forgot just how much I loved Cringer/Battle Cat. As a kid, I remember liking that he could be brave even though he was also sometimes terrified. The sight of him roaring inside the MGM logo in the trailer made me smile.

Nicholas Galitzine Is Great -- The Whole Cast Is, Really

Though I'd seen him in The Craft: Legacy and the Amazon's 2021 Cinderella, Nicholas Galitzine won me over with two specific performances: the ridiculous, cheating-boyfriend Jeff in Bottoms, and the warm, charming, deserves-so-much-love Prince Henry in Red, White and Royal Blue (I can't wait for Red, White and Royal Blue 2 to come out!). These characters couldn't be more different if they tried, and yet, Galitzine played both so memorably and perfectly. For all the humor he brought to Bottoms, he brought as much warmth and depth to his Red, White and Royal Blue character.

Learning that he'd play Prince Adam had me curious, but also much more optimistic about the quality of the movie they were putting together. For Masters of the Universe, they picked an actor with genuine range to play the part of Adam (and from the sound of it, he put in a lot of work to bulk up for the role).

There's even more talent among the cast, which – in addition to Galitzine, Mendes, Elba and Leto – includes Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, and Charlotte Riley.

The cast and trailers had me mostly sold on buying a ticket, but there's one more thing to talk about...

Reviews Aren't In Yet, But Early Reactions Sound Positive

I don't rely solely on critics' reactions to determine if I'll see a movie, but if I hear it's good, that's certainly going to factor into my decision. In the case of Masters of the Universe, as of this writing, actual reviews aren't out yet, but early reactions on social media sound positive, with the words "fun" and "funny" being used to describe it. This isn't a property that I need to see taking itself super seriously. If what we're in for is popcorn fun where the heroes fight the bad guys and there are some bits of humor sprinkled throughout, that works for me.

Masters of the Universe arrives in theaters on June 5, 2026, but luckily, I was able to grab a ticket for an early access screening on June 3rd at my local theater, so if you're planning to watch it sooner rather than later, check the listings to see what's available near you.

The summer portion of the 2026 movie calendar is officially upon us, as we’ll finally get to lay eyes on highly anticipated projects like The Mandalorian and Grogu, Disclosure Day and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Before those offerings, though, we’ve got to talk about Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Jared Leto and more serving up a blast from the past with the upcoming blockbuster Masters of the Universe, based on the Mattel action figures, comics and cartoon series from the ‘80s. Let’s take a look at early reactions.

Masters of the Universe doesn’t hit theaters until June 5, and feedback hitting social media more than two weeks ahead of time is typically an indication that studios are confident in their product. I’d say director Travis Knight has good reason to be optimistic, given posts by critics like Courtney Howard, who was charmed by everything from the story to the score, writing:

Nicholas Galitzine may have bulked up to play He-Man, but it’s Jared Leto’s Skeletor who steals the show, according to Chris Killian of ComicBook.com. We got our first look at the villain in the Masters of the Universe trailer early this year, and while there was some confusion about his voice, critics seem pleased with his performance. Overall, Killian says he had a great time, writing:

Peter Gray of The AU Review slightly disagrees with the above statement, saying that it’s not Skeletor who is the showstopper but Nicholas Galitzine’s comedic timing. Gray’s post reads:

Scott Menzel of We Live Entertainment says fans of the the ‘80s cartoons won’t be disappointed, as Masters of the Universe fully embraces its over-the-top roots by leaning into its sillier elements. The critic says:

More than one movie lover who caught an early screening has said the movie wears its heart on its sleeve, and critic Rachel Leishman speaks to that in regards to the He-Man portrayer, writing:

Nick L’Barrow of World of Screens says Masters of the Universe features some impressive set pieces, with Travis Knight flexing as many creative muscles as Nicholas Galitzine does physical muscles in the upcoming fantasy flick. L’Barrow posts:

Junior Felix of That Hashtag Show says those who grew up in the ‘80s will have a nostalgic blast with Masters of the Universe, specifically praising Jared Leto’s character, writing:

Critic BJ Colangelo echoes that, saying it’s everything fans of this franchise could want:

These reactions are likely to leave fans even more excited for this one, which is set to hit theaters on Friday, June 5. You’ll definitely want to snatch up those Masters of the Universe popcorn buckets and cups, too, to reawaken that ‘80s child inside of you. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more coverage of the movie leading up to its premiere.

The power of nostalgia is very real, and one beloved property that's returning to the big screen this summer is Masters of the Universe. Years after the infamous Dolph Lundgren movie, Travis Knight's blockbuster will bring the beloved characters to life, with Nicholas Galiztine playing the title role (and getting ripped in the process). I was lucky enough to be among a small group of journalists who got to visit the set last May, and was shook by all the huge practical sets, props, and costumes that I got to see (and touch) in the flesh.

What we know about Masters of the Universe has been limited, but I was fortune enough to get some insider information while visiting the set across the pond. While one might assume that the movie was brought to life with CGI and motion-capture suits, that's not the case. Instead, massive sets were built by hand, and basically every single costume and prop was build in-house. Producer Jason Blumenthal spoke to us about this process, offering:

While rumors swirled that Masters of the Universe would take place mostly on Earth, that simply was never the case. So to bring beloved characters and their iconic weapons to life, the production team needed to hand-build every single prop and costume piece. Yes, the movie will be enhanced with visual effects, but it didn't feel like it was being filmed with just green screens and tennis balls.

The Masters of the Universe trailer showed just how successful these effort, and I can't wait to see the finished product when it hits theaters in June. In addition to being able to see and touch the costumes and prop, we visited four impressive sets that were up in various sound stages. That includes the Sanctum of Castle Greyskull, where I was allowed to pose with the Power Sword. Check out the proof below:

Talk about a pinch me moment. We were also shown an epic, colorful forest, where Teela's ship had crash landed. Myself and fellow journalists were able to climb aboard the ship itself, and see every little detail in the cockpit. Then there was a prison complex, with doors that looked blasted open. Additionally, there was a hallway that featured the likeness of Morena Baccarin's Sorceress, who was given an awesome new look for the new Masters of the Universe movie.

Clearly there was a great deal of care and specificity brought to brining Masters of the Universe to life, which was palpable while visiting the movie's set. And I can only imagine how great it'll look on the big screen, especially with VFX added.

All will be revealed when Masters of the Universe hits theaters on June 5th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Despite visiting the set I still have so many questions, so I'll be there with bells on like the rest of the fans.

Masters of the Universe is a beloved franchise that's been around since 1982. And while it had a failed live-action adaptation in 1987 with Dolph Lundgren and Courteney Cox, moviegoing audiences will once again be brought to Eternia when Travis Knight's forthcoming blockbuster hits theaters this summer. It looks like it will be one of Nicholas Galtizine's biggest movies, although he recently spoke about just how grueling it was to bulk up to play He-Man.

What we know about Masters of the Universe has been limited, but the footage that's been released so far feel super accurate to the source material. Galitzine previously compared wearing He-Man's costume to doing sex scenes, and during an interview with EW he revealed just how hard it was to get swole for his leading role. As he put it:

The trailer for Masters of the Universe has showed the fruits of that intense labor. The Red White and Royal Blue actor looks huge as Adam Glenn/He-Man, and his body is almost unrecognizable from his past projects like The Idea of You. While he was always fit, it's clear just how much he bulked for MOTR.

Galtzine's body was on display from the first Masters of the Universe sneak peek, and He-Man's skimpy costume doesn't leave much to be imagined for the 31 year-old actor. He says he really suffered for the weight gain, and spoke more about how "personal" this process was for him. As he put it:

While fans of Galitzine had to wait until footage for Masters of the Universe to see just how swole the actor got, his collaborators on the movie definitely took notice. Director Travis Knight spoke about how surprising the transformation was to witness, offering:

Talk about hard work. One can only imagine how intense those workouts were, and how many calories Nicholas Galitzine had to consume in order to put on the weight. That work paid off, although I have to assume that he'll be looking much bigger when reprising his role as Prince Henry in Red, White & Royal Wedding.

Rather than pretending that training for He-Man wasn't difficult, I appreciate that Galitzine was so real about how hard it was. But he looks the part, and we'll be able to see him wield the Power Sword in a few months.

Masters of the Universe will hit theaters on June 5th as part of the 2026 movie release list. And I can't wait to see He-Man and Skeletor come to blows on the big screen.

As somebody who was a kid in the 1980s, I won't pretend I haven't been supremely curious about the upcoming Masters of the Universe movie. I watched the original cartoon and had many of the toys. I watched the first live-action movie and convinced myself I liked it even though it was mostly terrible.

When I saw the first teaser trailer for the new Masters of the Universe, I was surprised at how much the new film really did look like the old cartoon brought to life. However, the thing that had me the most curious wasn't what was in the trailer; it was what wasn't there. While we got brief glimpses of Jared Leto's Skeletor, the first teaser never had him speak. I was sure this was an intentional marketing decision. I was certain the voice, when we heard it, was going to be divisive. Now we know how Skeletor sounds, and I am certainly surprised.

Jared Leto's Skeletor Has Spoken, And He Sounds...Fine?

This morning, we got a brand new trailer for Masters of the Universe, and it does include a few lines of dialogue from Leto's villain. The most surprising thing about the voice of Skeletor is that there's nothing particularly noteworthy about it at all. It's a fairly generic sound. This voice would be perfectly at home being the next villain of a Paddington movie as much as it belongs in Masters of the Universe.

When Jared Leto is involved in, well, anything, you can almost guarantee things are going to get weird. His characters are often polarizing, but they are rarely boring. His take on franchise characters, like The Joker and Morbius, has been the stuff of memes.

Especially since Skeletor doesn't look like Jared Leto in this movie, I fully expected the actor's performance to come out in the voice, so I'm shocked that the voice is so normal. It's far less crazy sounding that the tone voice actor Alan Oppenheimer took in the original He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon series.

I'm Glad The Voice Is So Subdued

I'm curious about Masters of the Universe, but that's not the same thing as saying I'm particularly excited for it. Yes, I was a fan as a kid, but I haven't been a kid in a long time. And, weirdly, studios have been making movies aimed at me for my entire life, when they really should be making movies aimed at younger audiences.

Whoever's decision it was to not go crazy with the voice, I'm glad that decision was made. Even if most people saw the voice as "good," there was a decent chance that anything particularly unusual would have the chance to suck all the oxygen out of the room and become the only thing that anybody talked about. Now we can all focus on everything else. Jared Leto probably won't be what we're all talking about with this film, which is unusual for any movie he's in. It's a nice change of pace.

Of all the movies on the 2026 release calendar, one that I am personally looking forward to is Masters of the Universe. The live-action adaptation of an ‘80s kids cartoon is already going to have a hill to climb when it comes to making a modern live-action movie that gets audiences excited. Those who grew up with the original show are the obvious target audience, but they may not love the changes being made.

In many ways, the Masters of the Universe trailer looks like the cartoon brought to life. He-Man is wearing his traditional outfit. Skelator looks like Skelator, although how Jared Leto’s version of the character will sound remains to be revealed. One character that has received a bit of a makeover, however, is Teela. One might assume the character’s revealing costume was vetoed by the actress who would have to wear it. However, speaking with Empire (via He-Mania.com), Camila Mendes said she was fine with the outfit, but others just didn’t think it made sense. She said…

To be fair, the outfit that Mendes is seen wearing in the trailer, as well as in images from the set she posted to Instagram, isn’t that different from the Teela costume from the old cartoon, at least from the waist up. It’s still a sleeveless piece of armor with a collar. The big difference is that the movie’s version of the costume has pants.

In the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon show, Teela’s legs were bare, which absolutely gave the outfit a bit of a “swimsuit” vibe. It wasn’t particularly revealing; this was a kid’s show after all, and it was downright modest compared to some of the “armor” you’ll see on female characters in sword and sorcery movies.

While some fans have real issues when elements of the source material are changed, I can’t imagine anybody will be too upset with this particular change. Teela is not defined by her lack of pants. There are far more important things a Masters of the Universe movie will need to get right if it wants to win over the hardcore fans or otherwise just make a great movie. We’ll find out how well it all works when Masters of the Universe arrives later this year.

There are a lot of cool things that come with being the star of a major franchise film. Money is obviously a big thing, and there’s also both professional and public notoriety. For the nerdier set, however, I can imagine that one of the best bonuses of all is having an action figure modeled after you… and it turns out that Masters Of The Universe star Nicholas Galitzine is one of those nerds.

We’re now just a few months away from the release of the Travis Knight-directed blockbuster, and that means that the promotional push has begun. The first trailer for the movie just dropped online a couple weeks ago, and the star playing Prince Adam of Eternia a.k.a. He-Man has also gotten his hands on some of the first toys. He posted about his excitement for the action figures on his personal Instagram, and you can check out the photos below:

You can definitely see his inner kid coming out in that second photo, which has him with both He-Man and Battle Cat – mounting the former on the latter.

In his caption, Galitzine explains that he was one of the many people who spent their youths playing with action figures and imagining whole worlds, and he is thrilled that in the case of Masters of the Universe, it has become a meta experience. The actor wrote,

The fantastical Masters Of The Universe will tell the story of Prince Adam, a young royal from the planet of Eternia who is taken away from his home amid a civil war and brought to live on planet Earth. As an adult, he quests back to reclaim his family’s throne from the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto). The impressive ensemble cast includes Camila Mendes, Idris Elba, Alison Brie, Morena Baccarin, James Purefoy, and Kristen Wiig, and based on the footage that we’ve seen so far, it looks like the blockbuster is embracing the weird and wildness in its source material.

After competing production in the first half of last year, Masters Of The Universe will be in theaters this summer, set to arrive on the big screen on June 5. For a full look at the blockbuster slate on the way in the coming months, check out our 2026 Movie Release Calendar.

Actor Nicholas Galitzine's starpower has been steadily growing over the past few years, thanks to roles in projects like Red, White and Royal Blue and Cinderella (both of which are streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription). While Galitzine's movies have been big, he's heading into the action genre as He-Man in the live-action Masters of the Universe movie. And he just related wearing the character's harness/costume with filming sex scenes. Let's break it down.

What we know about Masters of the Universe is limited, but fans of the original animated series are hyped for it to jump to live-action. Galitzine bulked up to play He-Man and rock the costume... which is basically just a harness. While speaking with Empire about his role in the project, he mentioned walking around the set barely clothed. In his words:

Honestly, I see the similarities. On paper both love scenes and walking around barely clothed are a very vulnerable things for actors to do... especially in front of a whole crew of people who are watching. But according to Nicholas Galitzine, once you get over those nerves it can be quite empowering.

From the minute the first look at Masters of the Universe was released, it was clear that Travis Knight's adaptation would look faithful to the source material. As as such, Galitzine had to wear the skirt and harness that shows off just how much muscle he put on to play Prince Adam/ He-Man. The Masters of the Universe teaser showed off how awesome he looked wielding the Power Sword, check it out below:

Galitzine's comments make particular sense because he's no secret to filming love sequences scenes. He had notable sex scenes in Red, White and Royal Blue, with fans expecting more when the sequel is released. He also shot some steamy scenes opposite Anne Hathaway in The Idea of You, and even filmed four sex scenes in the same day for Mary & George. So if the 31 year-old actor sees a connection between rocking He-Man's costume and filming those types of scenes, I'm going to take his word for it.

While the first teaser for Masters of the Universe showed a glimpse of Galitzine in full He-Man regalia, I'm eager to see more footage with a full trailer. Since the movie is arriving this summer, hopefully that'll happen soon.

Masters of the Universe will hit theaters on June 5th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Nicholas Galitzine looks great as He-Man so far, and is totally rocking that skimpy costume.

After languishing in development hell for over a decade and a half, the Masters of the Universe reboot is now less than half a year away from premiering on the 2026 movies schedule. This second film adaptation of the popular franchise, following the 1987 one starring Dolph Lundgren, sees Nicholas Galitzine bringing Prince Adam, a.k.a. He-Man, to life. Following a teasy look at Galitzine’s He-Man wielding the Power Sword from almost a year ago, the first Masters of the Universe trailer has finally arrived, and it looks like a total blast. Gonna need my own power sword after this.

Traditionally, Prince Adam’s only tie to Earth is that his mother hails from there. However, this new Masters of the Universe movie is going several steps further by having Adam crash-land on Earth as a 10-year-old and get separated from his Power Sword. 15 years later, he finally claims his weapon again and ventures back to Eternia, only to discover it’s being ruled with an iron fist by the sinister Skeletor, played by Jared Leto. With the help of allies like Camila Mendes’ Teela and Idris Elba’s Man-At-Arms, Adam will fight to take back his homeworld from this bony brute and embrace his destiny of becoming the mighty He-Man.

The trailer really plays up how "normal" and Earth-y Adam has become, but it doesn't take much beyond a sword-shaped nudge in the direction of heroism, and he is only too happy to jump into action. Which is a good thing, because he'll need every ounce of energy and stamina to take down Skeletor and his minions. (Also, the word normal only half-applies here, since Galitzine is way more bulked-up than most at that age.)

Speaking of...no sign of Jared Leto's face here, so maybe audiences will buy into Skeletor's evil without thoughts of Morbius or Tron: Ares running amok.

It's a fierce look for the villain, and one that will no doubt lead to countless toys produced. (Such is the MOTU cycle of life.) Do I wish his costume better represented the bright blues and purples of the cartoon? Perhaps. Maybe we'll get to see a flashback where his earliest costume skews more colorful in that way.

Of course, this movie is way more than just its core hero and villain. The Masters of the Universe cast also includes Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Morenna Baccarin as the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Fisto, SNL vet Kristen Wiig as Roboto, James Purefoy as King Randor, and Charlotte Riley as Queen Marlena, among others. We’ll also get to see Cringer in his Battle Cat form, but it hasn’t been announced who, if anyone, is voicing the character.

No sign of Dolph Lundgren cameos in the movie, but I'm still holding out hope that his vague tease will pay off in the final film.

Behind the scenes, Travis Knight of Kubo and the Two Strings and Bumblebee fame directed the blockbuster, which gives context for why the digital effects aren't the exact same kind that we're used to. Meanwhile, Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee and Dave Callaham all worked on the script.

Masters of the Universe hits theaters on June 5, 2026. In the meantime, you can catch up with more current He-Man fare by streaming Masters of the Universe: Revelation and the follow-up Revolution, as well as the most recent He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated series, with your Netflix subscription.

Actor Nicholas Galitzine's starpower has been steadily growing for years, thanks to his acclaimed performances on both TV and film. Galitzine's movies span multiple genre, and he'll take center stage in the upcoming live-action Masters of the Universe movie. The star of Red, White, and Royal Blue (which is streaming with an Amazon Prime subscription) recently talked about bulking up to play Prince Adam Glenn / He-Man. And he makes the whole process sound super intense.

What we know about Masters of the Universe is super limited, but longtime fans of the franchise are curious to see how Bumblebee director Travis Knight will adapt it into live-action. Fans are waiting to see the movie's first trailer, but in a conversation with People Galitzine got real about just how hard it was to bulk up for He-Man. In his words:

Ouch. Plenty of superhero actors put on weight to play comic book characters, including Paul Rudd, Chris Pratt, and more. He-Man is particularly massive in the animated series, and wears very little clothes. So the pressure was on for Nicholas Galitzine to do his character justice in Masters of the Universe, and it sounds like it was a daily struggle to work out and consume the amount of calories necessary to get yoked.

In the first look at The Sword of Power, we saw a glimpse of Galitzine's body in Masters of the Universe. Longtime fans of the franchise will likely be judging his physique closely, which the 31 year-old actor likely knew ahead of time. In the same interview he spoke more about the physical transformation he made, saying:

That must be a strange experience. While actors are often required to change their appearances for roles, Galitzine couldn't wear any of his actual clothes as a result of his Masters of the Universe bulk. And he also seemed surprised by what he looked like when seeing his own reflection.

Throughout his career so far, Nicholas Galitzine has definitely rocked a number of looks, including big changes to his hair color and style in projects like Red, White, and Royal Blue and The Idea of You. But his weight gain for Masters of the Universe was another type of transformation.

Despite how hard this process was, the Craft: Legacy star doesn't regret the work he put in in order to fill out He-Man's harness and skirt. As he put it:

Larger than life is right, and I can't wait to see just how huge he looks when the first footage from Masters of the Universe is finally released to the general public. The movie is expected to hit theaters this summer, so it's only a matter of time.

Alison Brie debunked a rumor about Masters of the Universe, specifically the idea that most of the movie would be set on Earth. Anticipation for the project is steadily building, and it should reach a fever pitch once fans can see the cast in costume.

Masters of the Universe is currently set to arrive in theaters on June 5th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Fingers crossed the trailer comes sooner rather than later.

While we’ve known for quite some time that a Red, White and Royal Blue sequel was coming, we didn’t know much about it. However, now we know that this sequel will officially be the Red, White and Royal Wedding! Now, while that is so exciting, and I truly cannot wait to see Alex and Henry tie the knot, there is one other relationship milestone that I really, really hope they show in this sequel to one of Amazon Prime’s best movies.

We Really Are Getting Red, White And Royal Wedding

After the hit that was the book-to-screen adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s bestselling novel had been out for almost a year, news about a sequel to Red, White and Royal Blue being in the works broke. However, basically no details about how this great rom-com would continue were revealed at the time.

Today, October 15, well over a year after that announcement, Amazon MGM Studios shared that the sequel starring Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez as Henry and Alex, respectively, has officially been greenlit and titled Red, White and Royal Wedding. It was also announced that Jamie Babbit would be directing it, and she said in a statement:

The script is being penned by the first film’s director, Matthew López, Red, White & Royal Blue author Casey McQuiston, and My Lady Jane’s creator Gemma Burgess. Personally, I love that the novel’s author is staying close to this story that will not be a direct adaptation of a book. I also love what they had to say about what’s to come, as their statement read:

I can’t wait to see this as well, and I’m also very confident in this team. However, as we count down the days to the long-awaited royal wedding, I need to talk about one other relationship milestone I’d like to see Alex and Henry have on film.

While I Can’t Wait For The Wedding, I Also Hope We Get To See Alex And Henry’s Engagement

While I’m sincerely giddy about the fact that we’re actually going to see Alex and Henry’s royal wedding, I’d be reminisce to not say that I’d like to see more of the lead-up to it too. In Red, White and Royal Blue, which you can stream with an Amazon Prime subscription, we see their relationship in its early days, and I really want to see some of the major milestones that come between a meet-cute and a wedding.

Specifically, I want to watch their engagement. In the bonus chapter for Red, White and Royal Blue that was published in the Collector’s Edition of the book, we get Henry’s POV and a lot of insight into the couple’s lives years after the end of the first novel. This includes talk about marriage and an engagement. However, details about how the question was popped are sparse, though it’s implied that it was intimate and private, because no one knows about it yet. And that’s the key to why I want to see it in the movie.

This wedding for Alex and Henry will be hectic; they’re both major public, political figures, and one of them is literally royal. The world will be watching them, and I’m sure that fact will play into the story just like it did in the first film.

However, their engagement can be private. It would allow for a very sweet and intimate moment between just the two of them before all the chaos of planning a Royal Wedding happens. So, I think showing this milestone would be a lovely way to kick off this movie.

Ultimately, I don’t know which parts of Alex and Henry’s relationship we’ll get to see in this sequel outside of the Royal Wedding. However, no matter what happens, I’ll just be happy to be back with these two men as their remarkable love story continues.

Netflix has made waves by producing some of the best war movies of recent years likes Beasts of No Nation and the All Quiet on the Western Front remake. Now, the streamer’s upcoming marine-centric movie is serving up some serious eye candy. The film is question is The Mosquito Bowl, which stars Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgård, and the first look has arrived. And, needless to say, the two aforementioned actors look like total snacks in the sneak peek.

There’s something about seeing handsome men in historical dramas that just does something to fans. Whether it’s the sight of Brad Pitt leading a tank crew in Fury or Harry Styles and Barry Keoghan facing the dangers of war as members of the cast of Dunkirk, audiences can’t resist when Hollywood dreamboats portray important men in history. As for Netflix’s first look at The Mosquito Bowl, Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgård certainly look great. Check out the still that the streamer shared to Netflix:

Ooh, I just love a man in a uniform! Both stars look so irresistible with their arms crossed like that. Skarsgård and Galitzine both exude leading man energy and, based on the responses to the photo, fans are here for this first look. I know I personally can't wait for this marine movie to hit the streaming schedule.

My hope is that The Mosquito Bowl will be yet another strong cinematic showing for both of the previously mentioned fan-favorite actors. Nicholas Galitzine has been on the come-up over the past few years, given fans all the feels with Red, White & Royal Blue, and he more then held his own alongside Anne Hathaway in the rom-com The Idea of You. It's somewhat poetic that Galizine would join a war movie now, given that his Dunkirk audition didn’t work out with Christopher Nolan. So it’s great that Galitzine found another way to enter the genre.

As for Bill Skarsgård, he's greatly known known for his creepy roles in It and Nosferatu. However, he has plenty of range as an actor, and I'd love to see him flex his acting muscles by playing a real-life Marine. Sure, it's spooky fun to see Skarsgård show off his creepy eye trick as Pennywise or embody the intense vampire design of Count Orlok. However, I think I'd rather feel weak in the knees by watching Skarsgård bare arms in a war movie.

Not only do Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgård look real yummy, but there’s a whole buffet of talent among the cast. Ray Nicholson, who's known for his frightening role in Smile 2, is present (and sporting a buzz cut) as well. Also, theater actor Tom Francis looks handsomely rugged. In the film, each of these actors will be portraying Marine men playing one last football game before being sent into battle, and I'm prepared to see true athleticism and bravery play out in this WWII flick.

If Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgård are total snacks, then the upcoming Netflix movie will be a full meal that streamers will love. With swoony-worthy Marine men and intense storytelling, I can't think of a better reason to have a Netflix subscription to check out this film. For now, though, fans will have to wait for further updates on The Mosquito Bowl.

One of the more highly anticipated releases on the upcoming movie calendar has to be the 2026 version of Masters of the Universe. The popular franchise has been trying to get a live-action movie off the ground for years, and now the movie is finally happening. Although there’s a lot about it we still don’t know.

One of the questions that has been up in the air for some time has been the film’s tone. Based on an ‘80s cartoon that was silly as it was action-packed, recent rumors have implied the new film might be approaching the material from a more serious angle. While speaking to Collider, Alison Brie, who will play Evil-Lyn in the new film, implies that won’t be the case. She said…

While not giving a definitive answer to the tone question, Brie certainly implies that the new Masters of the Universe movie is not “leaning a little more serious,” which would mean that there will be at least some humor to be found in the film. Whether or not one would classify the movie as a comedy remains to be seen.

Alongside Alison Brie's Evil-Lyn, the Masters of the Universe movie has a solid cast that includes Jared Leto as Skeletor, Camila Mendes as Teela, and Nicholas Galitzine as the lead hero, He-Man.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, the cartoon that was created to sell the action figures of the same name, was mostly an adventure series, but it had comedic characters, like Orko the unreliable magician, and Cringer, the cowardly pet tiger of Prince Adam who transformed into Battle Cat when Adam became He-Man. Even the ostensibly heroic ones were capable of being silly now and then.

It wouldn’t have been that shocking if the plan had been to do some sort of serious take on Masters of the Universe. It often seems studios are afraid that an adaptation that isn’t played perfectly straight won’t be taken seriously by the audience. And the material certainly could work as a traditional sword and sorcery fantasy epic, something that closely resembled Netflix’s Witcher series or even Game of Thrones in tone.

It certainly sounds like things won’t be quite that serious. If Masters of the Universe isn’t looking to be more serious, we could get something that’s a similar balance of action and humor as the original animated series. It would still have plenty of serious action, but with some lighter moments as well. For those hoping Masters of the Universe is a “faithful” adaptation of the original material, it sounds like that could certainly happen.

As somebody who grew up watching He-Man and the Masters of the Universe every day after school, I am as excited, or at the very least, curious, about the upcoming Masters of the Universe live-action movie. It’s a project that has been trying to get off the ground for years and has now finally reached a major milestone, as principal photography on the movie is now complete.

Several members of the cast of Masters of the Universe took to social media to celebrate having wrapped production. This included Camila Mendes, who plays Teela in the upcoming movie. While I’m sure everybody had their own way of celebrating, Mendes apparently did so by chowing down on a hamburger and french fries.

Mendes mentioned in her post that she has spent the last seven months “eating like an athlete,” and so it appears that she took the opportunity of being done filming to eat something that her trainer probably wouldn’t approve of. She’s far from the first who has had to remain in particular shape during a movie to celebrate by breaking the diet. Superman's David Corenswet did the same thing.

While Mendes shares several images from the set, one thing we don’t really see is how Teela will look in the new film. She specifically says there’s still very little that can be shown of the movie yet. The hamburger-eating picture is the best look we have at what appears to be her costume. The gallery also has a brief image of Mendes hugging somebody who is probably Masters of the Universe star Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man/Prince Adam, though his face is never shown.

It seems quite clear that Masters of the Universe isn’t quite ready to show us any of the cast in full costume yet. Galitzine himself posted his own Instagram image in celebration of the movie wrapping filming. It includes himself in full He-Man costume, but cloaked in enough shadow that we really can’t see anything clearly.

Masters of the Universe has a release date in June 2026, the movie has almost exactly one year before we’ll all get to see how the animated characters really look, making the jump to live-action. We haven’t had a live-action movie in the franchise since 1987, and the original He-Man movie starring Dolph Lundgren left a lot to be desired among fans.

With the movie just finishing filming, it will likely be several more months before any sort of trailer is done. Whether we’ll get an official reveal of He-Man or any other characters before that is anybody’s guess. Even if we ,must wait, there will surely be a lot of fans excited to see He-Man return to live-action for the first time in decades.

Actor Nicholas Galitzine's starpower has been steadily growing for years, thanks to his work in steamy projects like Red, White, and Royal Blue and opposite Anne Hathaway in The Idea Of You (both of which are available with an Amazon Prime subscription). He's also set to star as He-Man in the new Masters of the Universe movie, and fans are thirsting over him when set photos revealed just how much he bulked up for the role. But it turns out he's been teasing his transformation quite a bit previously.

Galitzine has become a bonafide heartthrob recently, with plenty of folks online collectively obsessing over the 30 year-old actor. DeuxMoi posted photos on Instagram of him filming as He-Man, and he's looking seriously huge. Folks began sounding off on Twitter, with some A+ responses arriving online. One such tweet reads:

Honestly, can you blame them? He-Man typically wears very little clothes... to the delight of the Mary & George star's fans. Folks are waiting to see the fruits of Galitzine's labor, but he's disappointingly clothed in the viral set photos. But that hasn't stopped folks from sharing their excitement for his transformation, with more comments reading:

• Wow, he really bulked up 😳🤦🏻‍♂️
• PLEEEEASE HE LOOKS SO GOOD IM SCREAMING

Then again, those who have been paying attention to the actor's social media might have already seen the evidence of him bulking up to play He-Man in live-action. While we haven't been treated to a shirtless pic just yet, the Craft: Legacy actor posted on Instagram just a few days ago referencing his body, offering:

While he's still covering his growing muscles, he's clearly put on a bunch of weight for Masters of the Universe. And with fan anticipation for the upcoming superhero movie growing as a result of his status as a swoon-worthy hunk, I have to assume we'll be seeing more of him too.

Back in January, Nicholas Galiztine posted another progress photo, revealing he was still bulking before eventually cutting to become a leaner version of He-Man. Check out the Instagram pic below:

He's been teasing fans about his new superhero physique for some time now, so smart money says he's going to go viral when debuting in He-Man's signature costume. Hell, he might even break the internet.

Galitzine is just the latest actor who has made a big physical transformation for a superhero role. We've seen this through various figures in the DCEU and MCU, including Brie Larson, Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth and more. But this might be the most anticipated transformation yet. Hopefully we get to see him in his full He-Man glory soon. While not on the 2025 movie release list, the live-action adaptation is expected to arrive in 2026.

Hollywood has spent nearly 20 years trying to get a new Masters of the Universe movie off the ground, and thankfully for fans of the long-running sci-fi/fantasy franchise, the project made its biggest strides yet in 2024. A few months after the news came in of Travis Knight helming the reboot, The Idea of You’s Nicholas Galitzine was tapped to play the new live-action Prince Adam/He-Man, and we’ve been peppered with more casting announcements since then. Specific plot details, on the other hand, are being kept secret, though Galitzine has shared that the Masters of the Universe reboot will be “quite different” than the original He-Man TV show, and a new rumor may point to how this will be handled.

What Nicholas Galitzine Said About Masters Of The Universe

In an interview with THR, Galitzine was asked if he’s binge-watched any of the old He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon, which ran from 1983 to 1985, as well as how the new movie will compare to the series that started airing just a year after the Mattel toy launched. The actor answered:

As Nicholas Galitzine, Masters of the Universe: Revelation and its follow-up Revolution, which can both be streamed with a Netflix subscription, are among the more recent adaptations of this mythology, with others including the new He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated series that’s also on Netflix and more geared towards younger audiences, as well as the comics. Judging from Galitzine’s statement, it sounds like while the new Masters of the Universe movie will follow the basic framework of this property, it will also put some new spins on the material to make it stand out from previous versions. But exactly how much will the reboot color outside the lines, so to speak?

What The New Masters Of The Universe Rumor Is Claiming

According to scooper Daniel Richtman (via ComicBookMovie), Masters of the Universe will introduce Galitzine’s Adam as a regular guy who’s working a “boring office job” in the “real world,” i.e. Earth, and “the whole He-Man and Masters of the Universe story are tales he heard as a little kid.” While this information should be taken with a massive grain of salt for now, it does line up with the synopsis that’s been making the rounds:

Assuming all this is true, it won’t be the first time that a Masters of the Universe movie has incorporated Earth into the story. The 1987 film saw our planet being targeted by Skeletor, He-Man’s arch-nemesis, and two teenagers and a detective being drawn into the conflict. In this case though, the reboot would establish a direct tie between Adam and Earth, a major departure from the source material. However, it does seem like there’s a contradiction between the new rumor and the synopsis. Does Adam actually remember that he hails from Eternia, or did he somehow lose his memories of that other world or even get sent to Earth at such an earlier age that he’d have no clear memories to retain, hence the stories?

Hopefully the coming months will bring official clarification on what we can expect narratively from the Masters of the Universe reboot, which opens in theaters on June 5, 2026. Nicholas Galitzine’s He-Man will be joined by Camila Mendes as Teela, Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Idris Elba as Man-at-Arms, Jared Leto as Skeletor, Sam C. Wilson as Trap Jaw, Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops and Hafthor Bjornsson as Goat Man.

After nearly two decades being stuck in development hell, the Masters of the Universe reboot is finally making significant progress moving forward. Along with Nicholas Galitzine being cast to play Prince Adam/He-Man, it was announced in August that Camila Mendes will play the badass Teela in the long-awaited project. Now as we get going into September, the actress who will play Evil-Lyn has been revealed, too, and this casting update makes me all the more eager to learn who will be playing her boss, Skeletor, a.k.a. He-Man’s arch-nemesis.

Community, GLOW and Promising Young Woman actress Alison Brie has been tapped to play Evil-Lyn in Masters of the Universe, as shared by THR. She will be the second person to play the role in live-action, following Meg Foster in 1987’s Masters of the Universe movie. Much more recently, Game of Thrones’ Lena Headley voiced the character in Masters of the Universe: Revelation and the follow-up Revolution, and Grey Griffin voiced her in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Those shows can be streamed with a Netflix subscription.

Alison Brie’s Evil-Lyn casting comes as the actress stars in the Peacock subscription-exclusive thriller limited series Apples Never Fall. For those unfamiliar with Evil-Lyn, she is a witch who serves as Skeletor’s second-in-command and is much smarter than the skeleton-faced antagonist’s usual minions. As such, not only has she frequently hatched her own sinister schemes, she’s freely admitted that one days she hopes to take Skeletor’s power for herself and rule Eternia with an iron fist. However, Revelation and Revolution delivered a more sympathetic portrayal of Evil-Lyn, so I’ll be curious to see if the Masters of the Universe reboot will follow suit or just depict her as a straightforward villain.

Either way, it’s nice to see Alison Brie has finally scored a role in a live-action tentpole movie, with Amazon MGM Studios teaming up with Mattel Films for Masters of the Universe following the project previously being housed at Netflix. While I’m certainly intrigued to see how Brie does at Evil-Lyn, as mentioned earlier, this also makes me more curious about who this reboot will cast as Skeletor. As a Community fan, I’m strangely interested in the prospect of co-star Joel McHale tackling that role before they reunite for Peacock’s Community movie, though I doubt it’ll actually happen. Whomever it ends up being, my fingers are crossed that he and Brie have the right kind of chemistry to make this villainous pair pop on the big screen.

Directed by Travis Knight and written by Chris Butler, Masters of the Universe is slotted for June 5, 2026. With the casting news that’s been coming in these last few weeks, it’s a good bet that production is set to begin soon.

The last few years have been good to fans of the Masters of the Universe franchise thanks to some animated shows that can be streamed with a Netflix subscription, and as a nice bonus, there’s also been some progress made on the long-awaited Masters of the Universe reboot movie. After the project was scrapped by Netflix, Amazon MGM Studios snatched it up, and now Travis Knight is set to direct and Nicholas Galitzine will play He-Man. Today brings word that Camila Mendes will play the badass Teela, though I have one big question in response to this casting update.

Quickly rising to fame for playing Veronica Lodge in The CW series Riverdale, Mendes has been carving out a solid film resume with the likes of Palm Springs, Dangerous Lies and Do Revenge, among others. Her contributions to the 2024 movies schedule include Upgraded and Música, both of which can also be streamed on Prime Video, and she also produced Griffin in Summer, which debuted at the Tribeca Festival in June, but doesn’t have a wide release date yet. With her casting in Masters of the Universe, this marks the first time this upcoming movie finally has someone aside from He-Man cast over the nearly 20 years it’s spent in development.

Teela was previously portrayed by Chelsea Field in the 1987 movie Masters of the Universe, and more recently, she was voiced by Kimberly Brooks in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (the CGI animated series), Sarah Michelle Gellar in Masters of the Universe: Revelation, and Melissa Benoist in Masters of the Universe: Revolution. The character is traditionally depicted as the adopted daughter of Man-At-Arms who becomes Captain of the Royal Guard and teaches Prince Adam, He-Man’s civilian identity, how to fight. She also is frequently depicted as a love interest to He-Man, though in various adaptations, she initially isn’t aware that he and Adam are one and the same.

Which brings me to my question about Camila Mendes’ Teela: how will she specifically factor into the Masters of the Universe reboot? Will she simply remain an ally to Nicholas Galitzine’s He-Man? Will she also pursue him romantically too? Or will the character be utilized in a different way? Frankly, I find it hard to believe that Teela would be radically re-envisioned as a villain working with Skeletor or some other antagonist, but that’s not to say that the movie couldn’t change up the character in some big ways.

Whatever the case, Masters of the Universe provides Mendes the opportunity to star in a big-budget production, which will be new territory for her. According to THR, she screen-tested two weeks ago, as did Clara Rugaard, Alexandra Shipp and Quintessa Swindell. Mendes will also star in the I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot.

Masters of the Universe will arrive in theaters on June 5, 2026, and it will surely become available to stream with an Amazon Prime Video subscription after it’s done playing on the silver screen. Keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for more updates on the reboot’s progress.

2024 might be the year of the British, especially with Nicholas Galitzine and Leo Woodall both metaphorically competing for the title of the internet’s boyfriend of the year. However, when the two sat down to interview each other recently, any bad blood between their respective fans seemed to drift away, and now they’re all making the same requests via social media.

It’s no secret that Galitzine and Woodall are having an incredible year, both leading impressive projects, but it’s their Variety’s Actors on Actors interview that is getting them all the buzz right now. Over the course of the 30-minute interview, the two showered each other in praise, butted heads over their favorite football teams, and even bonded over their shared childhood experiences. They also covered what its like being in competition with each other when it comes to reading for the same roles.

As a fan of both actors individually, I knew their interview was going to be one of my favorites, but I had no idea how great it actually turned out. Their chemistry is so grounded and hilarious that it’s impossible not to want to see them share the screen. I think that’s why I and so many other fans have taken over social media to beg Hollywood to stop making these two compete for roles and instead give them a co-lead project asap.

Galtzine and Woodall are both talented actors who have an innate ability to have chemistry with any of their various co-stars. It’s a useful acting trait, but after watching the interview, I’m convinced it’s a part of their non-acting personalities given how easily the two of them got along. In fact, it was their banter and wit that has so many wondering when, not if, they’ll get to see them act opposite each other.

I think it’s safe to say that the two heartthrobs wouldn’t even need to jump through hopes and deal with stressful and sometimes awkward chemistry tests to land co-starring roles. They could just send in this interview as proof. X User @GALITZINEFOX seems to agree, tweeting:

A partnership like this would be limitless. Both have experience in the romance genre, with Galitzine starring The Idea Of You, among others, and Woodall lending his talents to Netflix’s One Day adaptation. They both clearly know a thing or two about comedic timing if their interview is any indication. Personally, I think they would be hilarious in a buddy comedy movie, but some fans have other ideas that are equally as great, like X User @btasticfandoms:

The Idea of You actor definitely has some experience with that, playing queer characters in both Prime Video’s Red, White and Royal Blue and Starz’s Mary & George. I think it’s safe to say The White Lotus star would also be up to the challenge, especially since he auditions for the role of George.

Whatever project they hopefully get to do together, the press tour is sure to be a chaotic one. While that might seem off-putting to some, it's actually yet another reason why fans want to see them work together. At least, that’s what X User @darkskyzine thinks:

Unfortunately, fans might be waiting a long time to see this duo take on the big screen. Galitzine is being kept busy shooting the sequel to Red, White And Royal Blue, and then the Masters Of The Universe live-action film, while Woodall gears up to work with Ridley Scott for Apple TV+’s Prime Target. Until then, you can catch their entire interview on Variety's official YouTube channel.

Ahead of his highly anticipated appearance in this year's upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine, Hugh Jackman has already locked in his next big project. The versatile Australian actor is trading in his adamantium claws for sheep shears in Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie, which is set to be a fun and intriguing venture. Amazon MGM Studios has gathered a star-studded cast for this live-action comedy, directed by Kyle Balda, best known for his work on Minions: The Rise of Gru. The ensemble features major names, including viral newcomer and The Idea of You cast member Nicholas Galitzine.

Per Deadline, the Greatest Showman star is set to headline an ensemble that promises to deliver both laughs and intrigue. The ensemble features Emma Thompson (Matilda the Musical), Nicholas Braun (Succession), Nicholas Galitzine (The Idea of You), Molly Gordon (Theater Camp), Hong Chau (The Whale), Tosin Cole (Supacell), Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Wonka), Conleth Hill (Game of Thrones), and Mandeep Dhillon (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker). This impressive lineup, combined with a gripping storyline adapted by Craig Mazin could make waves in the film industry.

The film is an upcoming book-to-screen adaptation based on Leonie Swann’s international bestseller, which brings a unique twist to the detective genre. The story follows George Hardy, portrayed by Hugh Jackman, a shepherd devoted to his flock, which he raises solely for their wool. Each night, George reads murder mysteries to his sheep, unaware that they not only understand him but also engage in debates about the storylines. When George is found dead under suspicious circumstances, the sheep, convinced it’s a murder, decide to solve the mystery themselves. The local cop, Tim Derry (played by Nicholas Braun), complicates the animal's investigation, despite never cracking a serious case. The sheep's journey into the human world promises a blend of comedy and suspense.

The production team behind Three Bags Full is equally noteworthy. Lindsay Doran and Working Title Film's Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are producing the film. The executive producers include heavyweights like Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Aditya Sood, and Tim Wellspring. The funny farm flick is slated for a worldwide theatrical release on February 20, 2026.

This production represents a nice switch-up for Hugh Jackman following his long-awaited return as Logan. While the superhero movie star certainly dazzles in the role of the razor-clawed X-Man, he has range and can deliver in any kind of role. I'd hope that this upcoming film really gives him a chance to further flex his acting muscles. On top of that, it's exciting that Nicholas Galitzine continues to land roles and that he'll be starring alongside so many heavy-hitters for this latest flick.

What's also exciting about this venture is the behind-the-scenes talent that's attached. film marks Kyle Balda's first foray into live-action directing after a series of animated hits. His previous works, including the record-breaking Despicable Me 3 and Minions, have established him as a talented director with a keen sense of humor and a knack for storytelling.

And Craig Mazin, the writer, producer, and co-creator of HBO’s A+ The Last of Us and the highly rated Chernobyl miniseries, brings his versatile writing skills to the project. Before his dramatic successes, Mazin was celebrated for his comedic writing in films like Scary Movie 3 and 4, The Hangover Part II and III, and Identity Thief. With his background, this latest feature film script is in very capable hands.

Fans curious about Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Movie can expect a refreshing take on the detective genre, blending humor, mystery, and the delightful absurdity of a sheep-led investigation. Frankly, we can't wait. Let's hope that it proves to be worthy addition to the filmographies of Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Galitzine and their co-stars.

As you watch for updates on Three Bags Full, you can also look forward to Hugh Jackman's return to the world of superhero movies with his 2024 movie release, Deadpool & Wolverine. In the meantime, fans can revisit Jackman's incredible over-20-year tenure as Wolverine by streaming the Marvel movies in order with a Disney+ subscription.

Just like how Henry and Alex fell in love quickly, viewers swiftly became head-over-heels for their love story in Red, White & Royal Blue. Not long after Matthew López’s book-to-screen adaptation starring Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine premiered in 2023, questions about a sequel started popping up. Now, it’s been confirmed that one of the best rom-coms in recent years is getting a second film! However, there isn’t a second book…So, what will it be based on? Well, there’s bonus content the book's author Casey McQuiston has written, and I really hope they use it for Red, White & Royal Blue 2. 

What Happens In The Bonus Content Of The Red, White & Royal Blue Book?

In the Collector’s Edition of Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue there’s a bonus chapter from Henry’s point of view. The entire book is told in third-person from Alex’s side of things, so this offers us a new peek into their lives.

The chapter also jumps forward about five years to the point in the couple’s relationship where they’re getting ready to move and get married.

The chapter opens with Henry baking a quiche and his friends making fun of him. Then Alex comes in poking fun at his fiancé while also lovingly supporting him.

As the bonus chapter goes on, we learn about how meaningful the couple’s home is to them, why they’re moving, the headache of planning a wedding, and all the sweet and challenging moments they’ve shared in the first five years of their relationship. Seeing their relationship evolve and circle back to where the chapter started – them moving and getting married – is very satisfying and full circle, and I hope the sequel takes notes from this.

How I Hope This Story Is Implemented Into The Red, White & Royal Blue Sequel 

One of the reasons why Red, White & Blue was met with lovely reactions was because of how faithful it was to the book. While there were obviously changes made for the RW&RB movie, the essence of the book was still there, and I still felt all the same lovely feelings watching Alex and Henry’s love story. So, you can imagine my excitement when I learned that the sequel was coming, and I realized there was bonus content they could pull from.

Obviously, Henry’s bonus chapter isn’t enough to base a whole movie around. However, I think it’s a great place to start, and generally speaking, I want the sequel to be about Alex and Henry planning their wedding.

Red, White & Royal Wedding…I mean, come on, the sequel basically titles itself.

In a sequel, I’m hoping we see moments from the bonus chapter, like them moving into their Park Slope brownstone, because it adds so much to the prince and first son’s story. Using those as little flashbacks to a bigger story about the two getting married would be heartwarming, and I know they’d handle the story with so much care.

Overall, while there isn’t a second book, this bonus chapter offers a lot of insight into Alex and Henry’s lives after the events of the first story, and I want the established future they share to stay the same in the movie.

I want to see these two in a very stable relationship, and I desperately want to see Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine playing out these moments that help define Alex and Henry’s relationship leading into a wedding.

Well, only time will tell if this dream becomes a reality. However, considering the care the first movie had for its source material and the fact that Casey McQuiston served as an executive producer, I have all the faith in the world that this sequel will pay homage to the story we already have about Alex and Henry while also building an even richer story about their lives and love.

At the time of this writing, we have no idea when the sequel for Red, White & Royal Blue will come out. But, we’ll be sure to keep you posted. So, as we wait for more information on this exciting movie, you can go back and watch the first film with an Amazon Prime subscription, and then make sure to check out Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine’s other projects on the 2024 movie schedule.

Eternity is calling! After about four decades of starts and stops. A new Master Of The Universe movie is finally part of the 2026 movie schedule. Fans of the franchise know all too well that the promise of a live-action movie based on the toy line from Mattel (and the cartoon that was also born from the action figures) has been in and out of production hell for a long, long time.

With the release of the movie just a couple of weeks away, here's everything we know about the Amazon MGM Studios release.

What Is The Masters Of The Universe Release Date?

By the power of Grayskull (and Amazon MGM Studios, and Mattel Films), Masters of the Universe is set to hit theaters everywhere on Friday, June 5, 2026. This date is a long time coming. The project has been all over the place for years, including a point when it found a home at Netflix, only to be scrapped.

The film was later revived with plans to start shooting in mid-2022, and those were abruptly cancelled not long after. Principal photography finally got underway in January of 2025, and star Nicholas Galitzine confirmed in an Instagram post in July of ‘25 that production had wrapped. Now it's hitting the big screen this summer.

The Master Of The Universe Trailer

In March 2026, Amazon MGM dropped the first full trailer for the movie.

After releasing a teaser a couple of months ago, Amazon MGM dropped the first trailer on the last day of March 2026. It looks amazing, even on the small screen; it should look really cool on the big one.

What Masters Of The Universe Is About

From the trailers, it looks like we're definitely getting an origin story. I don't always love origin stories, but I think it's critical here. He-Man isn't, say, Superman. Everyone knows Kal-El's history; fewer know Prince Adam/He-Man's backstory. Introducing all the key characters and, from the looks of it, creating a new backstory (the old show never went too deep here), is a smart way to build the foundation of a potential franchise.

The Masters Of The Universe Cast

The cast of Masters of the Universe is, in a word, stacked. There will be a ton of everyone's favorite characters, many of whom are played by A-list stars and familiar faces.

Nicholas Galitzine (He-Man/Prince Adam)

The new He-Man will be played by Nicholas Galitzine, who has starred in numerous Amazon Prime original movies already, including 2023’s Red, White & Royal Blue (which is returning soon), and The Idea of You from early 2024. The English actor’s casting followed two previous announcements that the lead Masters of the Universe role was filled – first by Noah Centineo, who dropped out as Covid-19 continued to hold the project back, and then by Kyle Allen, who was brought in until it hit another snag.

Jared Leto (Keldor/Skeletor)

Jared Leto had a rough 2025 with the release of Tron: Ares, which was a huge box office letdown. Leto is no stranger to big franchises, however. The Suicide Squad vet is playing He-Man's chief villain, Skeletor. The reveal of the villain is one of the real highlights of the trailer.

Camila Mendes (Teela)

Teela – the Captain of the Royal Guard at the palace of Eternos, who serves as Prince Adam’s trainer and protector – will be played by Camila Mendes. The character – who also fights battles with He-Man while unaware he is Adam’s alter ego – marks a major departure for the former Riverdale cast member, who is otherwise best known for rom-com films like the funny Palm Springs (one of the best movies on Hulu) or Amazon’s Upgraded. Then again, she also starred in a crime thriller called Coyote Lake from 2019 and led Netflix’s Dangerous Lies the following year.

Alison Brie (Evil-Lyn)

You could probably guess by her name alone that Evil-Lyn – the only female member of the Evil Warriors and second-in-command to Skeletor – is a villain. She will be played by Alison Brie. We only get a brief glimpse of her in both trailers, but she definitely looks badass.

Idris Elba (Duncan / Man-At-Arms)

Duncan, whose title, “Man-At-Arms,” is a central figure for Eternia’s ruling monarchy and the Royal Guard, will be played by Idris Elba, who played the somewhat similar role of Heimdall in the Thor movies. In fact, Masters of the Universe will be only the latest of many franchise films the six-time Emmy nominee has participated in, also including two DC films (The Losers and 2021’s The Suicide Squad) and the non-MCU Marvel flick, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.

Kristen Wiig (Roboto)

The great Kristen Wiig will star as a Roboto, a robot warrior built by Man-At-Arms in the cartoon, and introduced later in the original cartoon's run. Traditionally, Roboto has been male, so this is an intriguing casting, one that could be very cool.

Morena Baccarin (Sorceress Of Castle Grayskull)

Playing Sorceress of Castle Grayskull, who guards the fortress’ secrets with magic, is Morena Baccarin, who is also no stranger to franchise adaptations, having voiced Talia Al Ghul in some animated Batman movies, playing Leslie Thompkins in the Gotham cast, and starring in the Deadpool movies as Wade's girlfriend, Vanessa. She had previously earned her “Geek Goddess” status as part of the Firefly cast in the role of Inara Serra.

James Purefoy (King Randor Grayskull)

James Purefoy – starring as Adam’s father, King Randor – has one previous comic book adaptation under his belt called Pennyworth (following Bruce Wayne’s butler’s early days in espionage). Highlights of the English actor’s resume also include A Knight’s Tale, HBO’s Rome, Disney’s John Carter, and creator Kevin Williamson’s crime drama, The Following.

Sam C. Wilson (Trap Jaw)

Skeletor’s cybernetic henchperson, Trap Jaw, who gets his name for his deadly bite, will be played by Sam C. Wilson of BBC’s Dodger fame. He is also known for appearing in a couple of episodes of House of the Dragon as Blood and is also set to star in the upcoming series, Blade Runner 2099, for Amazon MGM.

Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Fisto)

A fierce, heroic warrior named Fisto, known for having a large metal fist for a right hand, is being portrayed by Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, who is no stranger to fantasy epics, having appeared in the Game of Thrones cast as Lem Lemoncloak, in Vikings: Valhalla as Olaf Haraldsson, and more. The Icelandic actor more recently appeared in Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World as Copperhead.

Kojo Attah (Tri-Klops)

As Tri-Klops, one of Skeletor’s top warriors, we have Kojo Attah, whose last major “warrior” role was in the 2020 video game Total War Saga: Troy as the voice of Memnon. The actor would later work with Jason Statham in Wrath of Man and The Beekeeper. They also appeared in Netflix’s sci-fi series, Supacell.

John Xue Zhang (Ram Man)

Ram Man, who was literally described by Mattel as a “human battering ram,” is being played by John Xue Zhang, who has performed stunts for such films as Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw and Eternals. He has also scored acting roles in shows like Netflix’s The Brothers Son and movies like Kraven the Hunter.

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Goat Man)

Playing a minor villain named Goat Man – who debuted in the 1985 Golden Book, Secret of the Dragon’s Egg, before appearing in the Masters of the Universe: Revelation episode “Hope, for a Destination” – is Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. The Icelandic strongman made his acting debut as one of multiple actors in the TV role of The Mountain on Game of Thrones and later starred in 2022’s The Northman, most notably.

Charlotte Riley (Queen Marlena)

As Marlena – King Randor’s wife and Adam’s mother – we have Charlotte Riley, who met her husband, Tom Hardy, while playing the romantic leads of Masterpiece’s two-part adaptation of Wuthering Heights. She is also known for films like Edge of Tomorrow and London Has Fallen, plus series like Peaky Blinders.

Sasheer Zamata (Suzie)

Sasheer Zamata has joined the Masters of the Universe cast as a new character named Suzie, but it will not mark the first time the SNL alum has branched out beyond comedy. She starred in a Blumhouse thriller called Sleight, was in the 2020 found footage horror movie Spree, appeared in Showtime’s Waco: The Aftermath, and joined the MCU in Agatha: All Along.

Christian Vunipola (Hussein)

Also starring in an original role, named Hussein, is Christian Vunipola. Some of his previous acting roles include 2022’s Not Okay and Hulu’s Miguel Wants to Fight.

Travis Knight Is Directing

Helming Masters of the Universe is Travis Knight, who already has experience with movies about toys, having made his live-action directorial debut with 2018’s Transformers movies spin-off, Bumblebee. His first directing credit was 2016’s Academy Award-winning Kubo and the Two Strings from Laika — the stop-motion animation studio he co-founded to produce acclaimed films like ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls.

Handling screenwriting duties, following a previous draft by David Callaham and Adam Nee, is fellow Laika veteran Chris Butler, who penned the likes of ParaNorman and Missing Link, in addition to working on the storyboarding for stop-motion classics Corpse Bride and Coraline.

Masters Of The Universe Is One Of Many Upcoming Mattel Productions

It would not be too much of a stretch to assume that the Masters of the Universe production got a healthy boost following the success of Barbie. However, He-Man is not the only toy hitting the big screen with help from the pink lady, as there are several other films based on Mattel products currently in the works.

The film studio (and toy company) is reported to be developing projects based on the popular American Girl dolls, a Hot Wheels movie, and a different one based on Matchbox toy cars, and even flicks about the View-Master and the Magic 8 Ball. There are plenty more where those came from on the way.

Previous Adaptations Of The Masters Of The Universe Toys

The Masters of the Universe toy line was first launched by Mattel in 1982. A popular after-school cartoon soon followed, and a notorious live-action box office bomb starring Dolph Lundgren (who reportedly has a cameo in the new movie) as He-Man was released in 1987. The adventures of He-Man and other characters from the franchise were also chronicled in accompanying minicomics, which were followed by a run in DC Comics as well.

The franchise’s first-ever movie, however, was 1985’s He-Man and She-Ra: The Secret of the Sword, which was later televised as a mini-series. The adventures continued to expand on the small screen in later years with 1990’s The New Adventures of He-Man, another remake from 2002.

Two animated reboot series on Netflix in 2021, including the Kevin Smith-produced Masters of the Universe: Revelation, and a 2024 miniseries called Masters of the Universe: Revolution. There were also two spin-off series centered on He-Man's sister, with Netflix's more recent hit She-Ra: Princesses of Power being an update of the characters' '80s spin-off.

Will this new interpretation of Masters of the Universe “have the POWERRRRRRR!” to win audiences over? We will just have to see when He-Man returns to the big screen in 2026.

Romantic comedies are a tried and true genre in the film world, one that is known for making money and piercing the pop culture lexicon. A new addition came with The Idea of You, which is one of the best rom-coms I've seen in a while. That movie (which can be streamed with an Amazon Prime subscription) had no business being as good as it was, and I'm giving Anne Hathaway all the credit.

The Idea of You might not be in theaters, but the movie is still having a serious moment on Amazon. I think that the new rom-com could rank as one of the best Anne Hathaway movies, as her chemistry with Nicholas Galitzine is fire, and the movie is a sweet and romantic story that doesn't take itself too seriously. Although Hathaway might be a key reason why this specific tone translated so well.

The trailer for The Idea of You showed off its premise: a single mother/artist named Solène attends Coachella with her daughter, and has a meet cute with pop star Hayes (Galitzine). They quickly fall for each other, but his mega celebrity offers a number of problems in this growing romance. Hathaway perfectly sells Solène's attraction to this younger man, and the complicated feelings that come with this infatuation. 

Like most rom-coms, there's obstacles that get in the way of our protagonists getting their happy ever after. That happens when Solène and Hayes go viral, and her private life suddenly becomes a very public manner. Anne Hathaway gives an emotional performance in these scenes, and it never goes too far into melodrama or makes the movie any less fun. This is perhaps the biggest gift the Oscar-winning actress gives The Idea of You: she plays the dramatic scenes honestly, but never pushes her performance too far.

While The Idea of You had some changes from the book it was based off of, the public's reception for the movie seems overwhelmingly positive. And while much of the chatter about the movie has been about heartthrob Nicholas Galiztine, Hathaway is the core of the film. Seeing the world through Solène's eyes, is what sells the movie's romance, in addition to the great chemistry Hathaway and Galitzine share. 

I've been saying for a while now that Anne Hathaway has never given a bad performance. And The Idea of You once again shows her way to expertly fit the tone and genre of any given project. But it also makes me want to see her in more romantic comedies. As for her co-star, Nicholas Galitzine has become Amazon's golden child, and recently inked a deal to star in a sequel to Red, White and Royal Blue.

The Idea of You is streaming now on Amazon. Be sure to check the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next film experience. 

Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine continue the rom-com trend with The Idea of You. The new movie follows a 40-year-old mom getting into a steamy romance with a boy band singer, so you know that means a lot of intimate scenes. Through the help of Listerine Strips given to the British actor by his intimacy coordinator, The Princess Diaries actress commissioned a painting for him made out of the helpful mint strips.

The new rom-com The Idea of You has Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine engaging in a lot of sexy liplock scenes. One thing that helps make those scenes fun to do is when you and your scene partner freshen your breath with super strong mints. While speaking to British GQ about items the Bottoms actor can’t live without, he mentioned Listerine Strips, and there’s a funny reason why.

Okay, now I need to see that Listerine painting stat! As Solène in The Idea of You is an art gallery owner, it looks like Anne Hathaway’s character hasn’t fully escaped her. One of the best parts of the romantic comedy was the chemistry between Solène and Hayes, and now we know why - it was the power of Listerine Strips!

Funnily enough, this isn’t Nicholas Galitzine’s first time using breath mints to help him with his intimacy scenes. For another Amazon movie adaptation, Red, White and Royal Blue, the London native told People he used the British brand Smints that were available for him in between kissing takes. With all of the making out scenes Galitzine did with co-star Taylor Zakhar Perez, you absolutely do need something to keep your breath staying fresh throughout.

As The Idea of You was based on Adrianne Lee’s best-selling novel of the same name, Anne Hathaway decided to look towards the source material when it came to depicting intimacy for the movie. The Oscar winner focusing on her character’s sexual pleasure would be her “North Star,” as well as the idea of giving someone else pleasure to get those scenes right.

Galitzine also felt that female pleasure was the film’s “protagonist” without making those intimate scenes “salacious.” It’s no wonder why everyone loved the chemistry between the two leads. We saw that both characters had a deep need for one another with passion flowing in each scene without being too graphic.

So Nicholas Galitzine has a nice painting of Listerine Strips hanging in his apartment thanks to Anne Hathaway and The Idea of You’s intimacy coordinator. As Galitzine takes ownership of this unique painting, this nice memento will remind him of his time filming the rom-com and that Listerine Stips are a rom-com actor’s best friend.

The Idea of You is available to watch with your Amazon Prime subscription.

Actor Nicholas Galitzine's starpower has been steadily growing for the past few years, and he's becoming the internet's biggest crush. This is partly thanks to his role in movies like Red, White & Royal Blue and (more recently) The Idea Of You, both of which might end up on best rom-com lists. He's played a number of LGBTQ+ characters through the years, and recently opened up about his sexuality.

Those with an Amazon Prime subscription are no doubt used to seeing Galitzine on their screen, as he's starred in a number of their original movies recently. In addition to Red, White & Royal Blue, he's played queer characters in The Craft: Legacy and Mary & George. When speaking with GQ about this career, the 29 year-old actor addressed the questions about his sexuality, offering:

There you have it. Despite playing a number of LGBTQ+ roles (and earning the hearts of queer fans as a result), Galitzine identifies as straight. While some of those roles are the best Nicholas Galiztine movies, he seems to have a little built of guilt for playing them. 

The Cinderella actor's comments about guilt are no doubt inspired by ongoing chatter happening about representation. Particularly, calls for more queer people to play these roles, rather than the best LGBTQ+ characters being portrayed by straight actors. After all, there are few dynamic queer stories being told in the industry as a whole. One recent example of this is when Mean Girls' Daniel Franzese took umbrage with Brendan Fraser's casting in The Whale.

Of course, this conversation is a complicated one and there's no cut and dry answer about exactly how many queer roles should go to actors who are actually in that community. For his part, Nicholas Galitzine seems to acknowledge these feelings, while also claiming that his characters' sexuality is only one aspect of them. 

Galitzine has brought moving love stories to life, playing both straight and LGBTQ+ characters. His star power has been steadily growing as a result of these performances, quickly becoming one of the hottest young leading men out there. And it should be fascinating to see where his career goes next, after his rom-com roles have helped him steal the hearts of so many fans. 

Many of Nicholas Galitzine's biggest projects are streaming now on Amazon, including Bottoms, Cinderella, Red White & Royal Blue, and most recently The Idea of You. While we wait to see what's next for the actor, check out the 2024 movie release dates. 

Move over Daisy Jones & the Six, there's a new fictional band on the scene with the arrival of the The Idea of You adaptation on Prime Video. No stranger to some of the best Amazon Prime Video original movies, Red, White & Royal Blue's Nicholas Galitzine stars alongside Anne Hathaway. And, let me tell you, boyband August Moon might be your new obsession.

With upcoming book to screen adaptations always on the horizon, Robinne Lee's novel was one I was hotly anticipating (alongside Bridgerton Season 3). While the movie was a lot of fun – and I am likely to watch it again – there were quite a few changes that I ultimately think took away from what a powerhouse the book is in representing older women that certainly still got it. Let me explain while delving into the differences in Amazon's latest romantic movie.

As you might imagine, big spoilers from both the book and the Prime video adaptation of The Idea of You ahead! 

Both Soléne’s Daughter And Hayes Are Older In The Movie

The age difference between love interests Soléne and Hayes in the book is pretty central to the plot's main conflicts. However, in The Idea of You adaptation, both Izzy, Soléne's daughter, and Hayes are four years older than their book archetypes -- aged 16 and 24 respectively. 

While that still means Soléne is sixteen years Hayes' senior, it could be argued the change makes the age gap more palatable for viewers than her dating someone barely out of adolescence. As Vogue probes in its review, though, what is the need here when these kinds of relationships are deemed otherwise acceptable in reverse?

Soléne And Hayes First Meet At Coachella Rather Than A Vegas Concert

Izzy has all but ditched her love of August Moon in favor of more "aggressively talented female singer songwriters" like St. Vincent now that she's 16, but that doesn't stop her father from getting her meet and greet tickets with the band. However, rather than taking place at their Vegas tour date as it does in the book, the band are headlining Coachella. As we see in the movie, Soléne mistakes Hayes' trailer for the VIP toilets, because of course she does. 

From there, the chemistry between the pair is instantaneous. Making quite the impression, Hayes changes the setlist in the middle of August Moon's set to sing "Closer" with the lyrics: "I know that you’re a little bit older / but, baby, rest your head on my shoulder." Smooth.

Soléne And Daniel's Reason For Divorce Is Different

Disappointingly, in the movie it is revealed Soléne and Daniel get a divorce after she discovered his affair with Eva. While Soléne was prepared to forgive him, Daniel chose Eva.

In many ways, the reason why Soléne and Daniel get a divorce in the book is the precipice for the exploration of a middle aged woman reclaiming not only her sexuality, but also rediscovering her identity beyond the shroud of motherhood. 

In the book, Soléne says she "surrendered everything that had made me me" and that "marriage and motherhood had started to [deaden]" her zeal after Izzy was born. Later on, talking to Hayes, she says she resented Daniel for not wanting her to go back to work, which led to their separation and Soléne choosing herself.

This particular change dims the strong sense of agency and aspiration Soléne otherwise possesses, and, in my opinion, undermines viewers' ability to sympathize with her character unless she is left scorned and heartbroken.

Hayes Turns Up At Soléne’s Art Gallery Earlier On In The Movie And Makes Space For The Book’s Empowering Themes To Shine Through

While the reason behind Soléne and Daniel's divorce dilutes the sense of agency, it's redeemed somewhat in the reshuffling of some events from the book – namely when the pair next come face-to-face.

In Lee's version, Hayes gets a hold of the gallery's number and leaves a voicemail asking Soléne if they can go for lunch. In the movie, he simply rocks up and buys all the art on display, essentially clearing Soléne's schedule and freeing her up to grab a bite. First, though, she takes him to see more art at her friend's warehouse, explaining how a piece resembling a calendar with notes like 'school picture day' is actually a self-portrait.

The inclusion of the scene hones in on how society wraps so much of a woman's worth in being a mother and caregiver through the artwork, with Soléne explaining the piece represents two truths co-existing: being successful in your field and showing up for your kids.

Hayes Formed August Moon With Friends In Robinne Lee’s Novel

August Moon, The Idea of You's fictional band, isn't formed by Hayes in the movie. In fact, while Galitzine might be have said that he wants to distance himself from comparisons between his character and Harry Styles, the band's formation as told in the movie feels closer to One Direction, with Hayes explaining to Soléne that he auditioned when he was fourteen. Simon Cowell, is that you? 

Adrian, Rory, Simon, and Oliver are thrown together rather than being friends from school. However, even though one of the bigger subplots in the book is that Oliver toys with Soléne out of jealousy (because maybe he has closeted feelings for Hayes), this isn't included and August Moon doesn't get much of a look in in the movie. 

Don't worry, though, there are still a few songs you can listen to on repeat, with Galitzine lending his vocals for hits like "Dance Before We Talk" and the aforementioned "Closer".

For Better Or Worse (The Latter), There’s Way Less Sex In The Movie

When you're working on a story that's about sexual empowerment and female pleasure, it's not wrong to assume there will be a lot of sex scenes. While Lee's novel is every bit an open door romance, I was surprised to find there wasn't nearly as much of it depicted in the movie. Sorry, guys, the dining table scene didn't make the cut.

While we do see Hathaway's "North Star" moment, many of the other intimate scenes are shown through montages, one resulting in Hayes singing into a chicken piece. Hot.

Soléne And Hayes’ Relationship Is Discovered A Little Differently And Izzy Is Far More Chill About It

Speaking of not being as explicit as the book, Soléne and Hayes' relationship does become publicly known thanks to a paparazzi shot, though the photo isn't nearly as compromising. A blessing for 'movie Izzy', because the alternative was totally mortifying. 

That said, Izzy's response is wildly different to 'book Izzy'. While she does go on to be teased by her peers at school, initially she is more outraged by the response of the media than she is her mother keeping it from her. Unsurprising really considering her preference for feminist musicians over August Moon. Izzy fiercely points out, "It's because you're a woman, and because you're older than him that they hate you for it, and that's just hypocritical..."

The Movie Diverts Massively From The Book’s Bittersweet Ending 

We can all agree on one thing: the book ending of The Idea of You is devastating, even if I do think it was right for the characters. 

To remind you, Soléne and Hayes do not end up together in the book. Soléne breaks up with Hayes because of the negative impact their relationship is having on her daughter, and because the two are at completely different points in their lives. He tries to quit the band, but she tells him to return and doesn't respond to any of his subsequent messages or calls. The book's ending is a sucker-punch: "And then one day, they stopped. Long, long before I had stopped loving him."

Good news for those who wanted them to end up together, though! In the movie, while Hayes does attempt to quit, the pair agree to see where they are in five years time. Flash forward, having gone solo, Hayes is taking a break from touring. And, what do you know? He turns up at Soléne's gallery.

Sorry, But A Lot Of The Complexity Of The Book’s Main Conflict Is Lost In The Prime Video Adaptation

Some of the changes in the adaptation detract from the key messages that made Lee's novel a reckoning for older women. The book is about Soléne and the choices she makes in order to do right by herself, her career, and ensuring she doesn't compromise on her strong sense of self. A lot of this is lost, both through the changes made, and certain elements axed. For instance, we don't see much of the art world, including the trade shows Soléne thrives in.

The movie also doesn't tackle some of the very real dilemmas people with significant age gaps face. In the book, Hayes and Soléne discuss the possibility of children with Hayes' expressing the desire to be a father.

Equally, the impact on Izzy is much more significant, turning 13 in the book and on the cusp some of life's most formative years. By making her older, the adaptation takes out a lot of trickier conflicts to overcome, allowing for a happy ending that didn't feel as impactful to me.

Like I said, this movie is a lot of fun. I think anyone that has been a boyband fan will enjoy the self-indulgent premise of The Idea of You. Regardless, it's worth an Amazon Prime subscription to see Anne Hathaway absolutely slay in her first romantic lead since Love and Other Drugs. But I definitely would recommend reading the book.

Anne Hathaway is in a romantic comedy again for the first time in over a decade with Amazon Prime’s The Idea Of You. While I didn’t read the 2017 novel the movie is based on, ever since I heard of it, the internet told me it was another instance of “Harry Styles fanfiction” – which is apparently a genre now? But upon further research and revelations, including pressing play on the new release, I’ve learned that The Idea Of You is much more than fangirl fuel for the former One Direction singer, and I need to talk about it!

Now, it’s not like the Harry Styles comparison for The Idea Of You is coming out of left field. An entire franchise of romance films called the After movies are actually inspired by the “Watermelon Sugar” singer, and there’s of course a whole segment of the internet who writes their own narratives about the pop star. Upon watching The Idea Of You trailer, it’s easy to spot some similarities between Nicholas Galitzine’s Hayes Campbell and Harry Styles. They are both brunette British men with artsy tattoos and boy bands. But there’s more to the movie than fantasy fuel for Directioners!

Is The Idea Of You Inspired By Harry Styles Fanfiction? 

The short answer is no. While it’s become a popular belief that The Idea Of You is based on Harry Styles fanfiction like After is, its author, Robinne Lee, has actually shared disappointment over the popular comparison. That said, he is an influence. Lee has shared prior that she was up late one night, watched Styles music videos online and was inspired to write the novel. However, he’s not the only man she thought of. She also injected the likes of Prince Harry, Eddie Redmayne and even her own past lovers to create the male lead in The Idea Of You.

What Has The Idea Of You Author Said About The Comparison?

When speaking to Entertainment Weekly upon the release of The Idea Of You movie, Robinne Lee clarified her influences. Here’s what she said:

As Lee also explained, she grew up as the daughter of two Jamaican parents before its independence from the British, and she admits to being “a bit of an Anglophile” who has found herself particularly attracted to posh British boys. She continued:

Nowadays, Lee says she actually regrets citing Harry Styles as an inspiration due to the way the novel has been compared to the singer so widely. She chalks it up to Styles being “just what people gravitated to,” perhaps because he’s one of the most popular pop stars out there right now!

Did Nicholas Galitzine Base Hayes Campbell On Harry Styles? 

When it comes to the making of The Idea Of You movie, the actor behind the male lead of Hayes Campbell, played by Nicholas Galitzine, has sung a similar tune when it comes to Harry Styles comparisons. Here’s how he responded to his character being compared to Styles:

Be that as it may, of course the internet noticed the similarities between Hayes Campbell’s boy band to One Direction in the movie as soon as the trailer dropped. As I watched the movie itself, I would agree that while Galitzine could pass off as a Harry Styles lookalike, he really doesn’t give the impression of someone who is doing an impression of the singer. Additionally, from the outside, one could make the comparison between Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde’s whirlwind romance since they hold a quite similar age gap. However, the novel was written years before the couple formed, so that’s purely coincidental.

And unlike Styles, the trajectory of Hayes is someone who has been in a boy band for many years and has not branched out into the solo world of pop stardom like Harry. He’s clearly a celebrity who has amassed a lot of attention and love, but he’s wrestling with wanting to find something real in a world that is always watching and perhaps, objectifying him.

Why I Think You Should Watch The Idea Of You Regardless Of Your Thoughts On Harry Styles 

While I thought The Idea Of You was going to be specifically made for the Harry Styles stans, after watching it I can confirm that it’s truly an enjoyable romantic comedy regardless of your thoughts on the One Direction singer. It’s totally its own thing, in my opinion, even though of course August Moon feels inspired by the popular British boy band. Since the movie came out, a lot of viewers have been comparing it to romantic comedy classic Notting Hill, and it's getting rave first reactions. I would agree with this hype.

I was particularly attracted to the grounded love story at the center of The Idea Of You. While I thought it would be a kind of Fifty Shades Of Grey-esque romance with bad dialogue, I found myself really buying the romance between Hathaway and Galitzine. This is especially in terms of Hathaway’s character, who kind of lost her sexuality in 20s because she fell in love and had her daughter at a very young age. As the movie progresses, her character gets to confront healing her own wounds while Hayes heals his own regarding the loneliness her’s acquired with his fame.

All and all, The Idea Of You is simply a great and rather unique entry into the romantic comedy genre that you’ll enjoy whether you’re into One Direction and Harry Styles or not! You can enjoy it now with an Amazon Prime subscription!

Whether you are looking at the list of Julia Roberts' best rom-coms or Hugh Grant’s finest work in the genre, you’re guaranteed to find Notting Hill on both. The story about a normal guy falling in love with a famous actress has stood the test of time, and to this day people can’t get enough of it. Now, there’s a new rom-com in town about a couple who has to face the challenges that come with fame – Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine’s The Idea Of You – and fans can’t stop comparing it to the 1999 flick that’s considered one of the best romantic comedies out there. 

What Are The Similarities Between The Idea Of You And Notting Hill?

The Idea of You follows a 40-year-old single mom (Hathaway) after she has a run-in with the 24-year-old frontman of the boyband August Moon (Galitzine). Immediately they have a connection, and what follows is a story about them falling in love and navigating the challenges that come with fame and their age difference. 

Like Notting Hill, which follows your average Joe (Grant) falling for a very famous actress (Roberts), The Idea of You’s primary conflict comes from the issues that arise when a person starts dating a very famous human, except the genders are swapped. 

Plus, both lead couples have undeniable chemistry, and you can't help but root for their love. So, the comparisons are more than understandable. 

So, with all that in mind, and following the release of the film adaptation of The Idea of You on the 2024 movie schedule, fans took to social media to buzz about Anne Hathaway’s first big rom-com in years.

What Fans Are Saying About The Idea Of You And Notting Hill

The internet truly can’t get enough of the similarities between The Idea of You and Notting Hill; for example, @LEBassett posted:

Overall, the initial reactions to The Idea of You were very positive, and they continue to be as those with an Amazon Prime subscription stream the film. People comparing it to Notting Hill is a prime example of the good vibes surrounding the rom-com, because it’s some seriously high praise. That was proven again when @bashful_michael posted:

Getting into the details and looks of both movies, there were a lot of comparisons to be made too. Of course, the overall gender-swapped story of The Idea of You is comparable to Notting Hill. However, the wonderful smiles and laughs Julia Roberts and Anne Hathaway have are quite similar, and the vibrant yet complex energy they bring to their respective movies is palpable. @tpwktom pointed that out in their post about the two films:

Spoilers ahead for this next comparison, but one fan, @lar1oliveira, couldn’t help but point out that the tearjerking happy endings were similar too:

According to @Richard@Roeper, all that was missing from The Idea of You was a fun little walk around Notting Hill. Considering Nicholas Galitzine’s character is British in the movie and the fact that he travels across Europe with Anne Hathaway’s leading lady, I don’t think it’s far-fetched to dream of this as a reality for this couple:

Overall, The Idea of You is poised to become one of Amazon Prime’s best movies, and I think these loving, and occasionally silly, comparisons help prove that point. 

Like Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in Notting Hill, Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine have undeniable chemistry. Also, like Notting Hill, The Idea of You addresses the complexities of fame and public opinion while also remaining a very sweet and heartfelt romantic comedy. Now, the question is, like Notting Hill is for Grant and Roberts, will The Idea of You become some of Hathaway and Galitzine's best work? I'd hedge my bet that the answer is yes. 

Your television, tablets or wherever you access your Amazon Prime subscription will be graced with The Idea of You when its release date finally arrives on the 2024 movie schedule. However, it’s a shame that no one will be able to go to the movie theaters on May 2 to see the film. As someone who got to see this movie starring Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine on the big screen, I think it makes for the perfect movie theater experience. And it turns out, Anne Hathaway has thoughts about this topic too.

I Got To See The Idea Of You In Theaters, And I Wish Others Could Too

I had the pleasure of seeing the adaptation of The Idea of You via a press screening, not long after the romance was met with great reviews out of SXSW. The screen was huge, the volume was cranked, and I was with a bunch of other people. The film follows Hathaway’s character as she falls for the frontman of the boyband August Moon. So, this means we have romance, we have meet-cutes and we have bangin' boyband music. All of this adds up to a great theatrical experience. 

Being able to swoon at Hathaway and Galitzine’s on-screen relationship, laugh at the funny and awkward moments and verbally awww at the screen as these two fall for each other with a crowd is so fun. Hearing everyone else’s reactions to this movie made it even better. 

Not to mention, the fictional boyband in the movie, August Moon, has some incredible musical numbers. Let’s just say the experience is heavily enhanced if you can see it on a big screen with the volume turned up so high you can feel the music.

All this is to say, it’s fun to be with a giant group of people oo-ing and awe-ing at the screen as you watch a thrilling and emotional romance like this one. Just look at the sneaky box office success of Anyone But You, and you’ll see that there’s a craving for romance on a big screen, and this would have been a perfect one for it. 

What Anne Hathaway Said About The Idea Of You Going Straight To Streaming  

To an extent, Anne Hathaway agrees with me. The Idea of You is the latest massive Amazon movie to go straight to streaming – we also wish Road House could have gotten a theatrical release –  and it’s still surprising to see a bigger budget A-list film like this end up directly on a streaming platform. To this point, the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation’s star spoke about this choice, telling Variety:

I agree with Hathaway. The Idea of You would be the ideal movie for a girls night out, and I’m bummed people won’t be able to do that. However, there is something to be said about a girls night in that involves a movie marathon. To this point, the actress said:

I totally get where she’s coming from. Some of the best rom-coms that impacted my life the most I saw at home on VHS or DVD. I saw When Harry Met Sally, 10 Things I Hate About You, and The Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement, for example, from the comfort of my couch, not in a theater, and they’ve all been the subjects of many movie nights in. So, there is something to be said about watching a good romance at home. 

However, that also doesn’t diminish the fact that I want people to see one of Amazon’s best movies on a big screen like I did. Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine deserve it, The Idea of You deserves it, and all the romance girlies deserve it. 

Rom-com fans, rejoice! Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine are set to charm in Amazon’s The Idea Of You, which adapts Robinne Lee’s novel of the same name about a 40-year-old single mother who finds herself in a love affair with a 20-something boy band member. Ahead of the new release heading to streaming in May, Hathaway spoke about how the production decided to approach the sex scenes.

The Idea Of You has earned an R rating for “some language and sexual content” ahead of it dropping on Amazon Prime Video. When Anne Hathaway was asked about how her and the director decided upon how “explicit” to make the intimate scenes between Solène and Hayes Campbell, here’s what she said:

When Hathaway and Michael Shoewalter spoke with Variety, the director shared that he never wanted to get “into Red Shoes Diaries territory,” which was an especially erotic ‘90s series, with The Idea Of You. Hathaway in particular turned back to the source material when making decisions about the sexual content.

Now, when Galitzine spoke about the sex scenes in The Idea Of You to Glamour, he said he felt “female pleasure is sort of a protagonist” in the movie before sharing they are not “salacious.” While it doesn’t sound like the romantic comedy takes its intimate scenes to a an intense or graphic level, it doesn’t shy away from some steamy sequences, especially in terms of prioritizing the importance of the satisfaction of Anne Hathaway’s Solène.

The Idea Of You follows Solène as she takes her teen daughter to an August Moon concert at Coachella. During the legendary California festival, Solène meets one of its singers, Hayes, and it leads to a budding romance. The movie has been compared by its actors and those who have seen it as a gender-flipped Notting Hill.

While the character of Hayes has frequently been compared by Harry Styles, Galitzine said his character is “a very different character” than the former One Direction singer. Check out The Idea of You trailer below:

Ahead of The Idea of You’s premiere on streaming, the movie has received positive reactions from audiences, with people calling Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine’s chemistry “amazing” and hitting “all the right notes” as far as what makes the rom-com genre great and entertaining. The movie also debuted with a 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes score before moving down only slightly to a 90 percent since.

You can watch Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine in The Idea Of You with an Amazon Prime subscription on May 2.

There are several parts of acting that fascinate others. Crying on command seems like a magic trick, being able to successfully speak in a non-native accent impresses, and of course, performing intimate scenes with another actor can be hard to comprehend. For many, it’s just a strange part of the job that has gotten a lot of focus as boundaries and standards have changed. Nicholas Galitzine recently spoke on his own experience with filming intimate moments on his new show Mary & George, and he revealed he had to perform four different sex scenes in one day.

The 29-year-old actor recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the Starz series he leads with Julianne Moore that just premiered on the 2024 TV schedule, and about new challenges he faced while playing the historical George character on the show. Due to the way the filming schedule was set up, Galitzine had four different sex scenes to shoot on the same day. He described the awkwardness of approaching the scenes, saying:

It’s certainly a strange circumstance to meet someone, but in the world of screen acting, I’m sure this happens all the time. Even though the situation was less than ideal, Galitzine still prioritized making sure everyone was as comfortable as possible.

By working with intimacy coordinators and his scene partners, the actor also expressed that he was proud of the work he did, and how it served the character. He explained:

Galitzine isn’t the only person in Hollywood who has recently praised the involvement of intimacy coordinators during sex scenes. Kristen Stewart applauded the intimacy coordinator on Love Lies Bleeding for making the situation more freeing, and Shonda Rhimes has spoken on their positive use while shooting sex scenes in Bridgerton. Even though they are no one’s favorite part of the job, I’m glad people are prioritizing actors' safety and comfort, and using the scenes to enhance the story as Galitzine said.

Even though the Mary & George star is still early in his film career, he has been in a number of sex scenes, so his own comfort with the practice may have grown over time. He was the star of the R-rated LGBTQ+ romance film, Red, White, and Royal Blue, which featured a number of steamy scenes. In addition, his latest film project with Anne Hathaway, The Idea of You, also promises some sexy sequences. At this point, Galitzine is a pro, so it’s nice to hear that he also has focused on prioritizing the other actor’s comfort during intimacy scenes, as well as his own.

You can see Nicholas Galitzine in Mary & George, which is one of the most exciting series available on Starz, now. Fans of the Bottoms actor should also check out our feature on other films to watch starring Galitzine. 

If it seems like Nicholas Galitzine has been everywhere recently, it’s because he has been, and we still can’t get enough. From playing Jeff, the airheaded quarterback in Bottoms, to starring as Prince Henry in the steamy Red, White, and Royal Blue, the 29-year-old actor has not only had a hectic schedule, but he has shown that he has major charisma and can shine in all kinds of roles thanks to his serious range. Surprisingly, Galitzine recently revealed that we also could’ve possibly seen him in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk. However, he ultimately didn’t land the role because of a mix-up.

For those who haven’t seen it, Dunkirk is Nolan’s World War II epic that tells the story of the evacuation of Allied forces on the Dunkirk beaches. It was Nolan’s passion project that he’d been working on since the '90’s, and it had a jam-packed ensemble that included Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine and Barry Keoghan. So, if Galitzine had been part of the Dunkirk cast, there’s no doubt that his talents would’ve boosted the movie’s star power even further. Unfortunately, according to his conversation with Variety, things didn’t work out in his favor during the audition process because he prepared for a completely different scene than what Nolan had planned.

Here’s how it all went down according to him: 

Galitzine also mentioned that he had gotten very far in the selection process. So, this audition with Nolan was a big make-or-break moment. However, even though he didn’t land the role, getting to the last stages of an audition for a Nolan movie is no easy feat, so he still deserves all the props.

The Cinderella actor obviously has not let that minor setback stop him, and his career has been soaring. He has a few starring roles on the 2024 movie schedule, including the book-to-screen adaptation of The Idea of You. In the rom-com, Galitzine stars as Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of a famous boy band that falls in love with Solène Marchand, a single mother played by Anne Hathaway. So, while he didn't get to star alongside Dunkirk's cast, in this movie he stars with a notable Nolan alum (Hathaway was in The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar), and he's leading the project alongside her.

Galitzine will also take on one-half of the dangerous mother-and-son duo in Mary & George. He portrays George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, who has been called King James VI and I’s favorite lover. But of course, the miniseries ramps the theatrics, showing that Julianne Moore’s character, Mary Villiers, The Countess of Buckingham, schemed and twisted and manipulated her son to not just become the King’s favorite, but to ensure they had access to all the wealth and power they desired. Just based on the trailer, this is exactly the kind of drama I’ve been needing in my life.

With all the roles Nicholas Galitzine has already shined in, it feels like he's bound to become a household name, making his Dunkirk experience a minor hiccup in what's turning into an incredible career. Be sure to check him out in the premiere of Mary & George on April 5 with a Starz subscription. You can also see him hone his boy band side in The Idea of You with a Prime subscription.

It’s always a treat whenever Anne Hathaway drops a brand-new movie, and her latest is definitely a novelty. The fan-favorite star is returning to the romantic comedy genre with The Idea of You, after starring in a number of psychological thrillers as of late. She stars alongside Nicholas Galitzine of Red, White & Royal Blue fame. Fans have greatly anticipated this particular entry on the 2024 movie schedule, and it’s now screened at South By Southwest ahead of its official premiere this spring. On that note, the first reactions are in, and they’re saying the same thing about Hathaway and Galitzine’s performances. 

Based on Robinne Lee’s debut 2017 novel of the same name, the film sees Anne Hathaway play 40-year-old, divorced single mother Solène Marchand. The film centers around her growing romance with Hayes Campbell – a 24-year-old member of a pop band. The Idea of You trailer teased the chemistry between its two leads, and some have been curious about how they’d play off each other. Well, thankfully, not only has the movie been well received thus far, but pundits are also praising Hathaway’s work as well as that of her co-star. Film reporter saw the rom-com at SXSW and said the following about it on X: 

As alluded to, the journalist is far from the only one who had positive thoughts on the interplay between the two lead actors. TV Insider’s Avery Thompson lauded the pair as well while sharing a glowing reaction to the flick: 

I suppose it shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that the stars apparently crushed it. After all, Anne Hathaway has plenty of romantic movies under her belt and of course, is just an all-around skilled actress. Nicholas Galitzine is also steadily proving himself as a skiller performer, as he received rave reviews for his performance in Red, White & Royal Blue. Still, it’s not easy finding actors who gel when crafting a rom-com, and the best romantic comedies of all time usually have an A+ pair of actors in the lead roles. That may be one of the reasons why Kathy Paz of Deco Drive enjoyed the movie so much:

What’s also fun about this particular production is the musical layer that’s present due to the Hayes Campbell character being a member of a band, which fans think is similar to One Direction. The fictional group, August Moon, appears to have a massive following within the world of the movie, but Business Insider’s Virginia Alves is one as well. She shouted out the group while also heaping praise on the chemistry between the leads: 

There are plenty of rom-coms that play the proceedings relatively light, though some don’t mind getting a little steamier. According to Tamara Fuentes of Cosmopolitan, fans may want to brace themselves for some spicy moments as they take in the A+ work the actors do:

It remains to be seen if the Michael Showalter-directed movie – which counts Gabrielle Union amongst its producers – will go down as one of the best all-time rom-coms. At the very least though, it sounds like this is an entertaining and sweet piece of work that builds on the momentum that the genre has amassed as of late (thanks in part to Anyone But You). We still have a bit of time before the production hits our screens and, after seeing these first reactions, I’d wager that fans will now be more excited than ever to see the principal stars’ chemistry.

The Idea of You will be available for Prime Video subscribers to stream starting on May 2. In the meantime, know that that same membership will allow you to see Nicholas Galitzine’s work in Red, White & Royal Blue. You can also check out some of Anne Hathaway’s best movies to keep yourself occupied until her newest flick finally premieres.

Anne Hathaway is making her triumphant return to the romantic comedy genre during the 2024 movie release schedule in Amazon’s The Idea of You. In it, she plays a divorced mother who falls in love with Hayes (played by Red, White & Royal Blue’s Nicholas Galitzine), the “it” member of her daughter’s favorite band, August Moon, after they meet at Coachella. 

Adapted from the Robinee Lee novel of the same name, the story was loosely inspired by the real-life singer and One Direction member Harry Styles. The trailer released earlier this week along with a handful of promotional pictures of Galitzine and the rest of the fictional August Moon band members set the internet ablaze. Mostly, One Direction and Harry Styles fans who instantly made connections between the fictional August Moon and their beloved boy band. As expected, they took to social media to share their thoughts. 

X User @laurengarfano clocked the similarities between a press photo of the RWRB actor as Hayes and its similarities to a common Styles pose instantly, promptly tweeting: 

It seems “loosely” inspired by Harry Styles might not be the most accurate term to describe this movie as this fan pointed out that the creators don't seem to be hiding the similarities. If it were just one photo that would be one thing, but there are a dozen of clips and images of Galitzine that are basically exact replicas of the Grammy Award-winning singer. 

Regardless of how the movie performs, one thing that’s certain is that the Cinderella star definitely did his research for the role. In fact, some fans have even begun speculating what videos of the One Direction member the actor studied because the similarities are just too uncanny. While another X User answered the hypothetical question, tweeting: 

It's not just the mannerisms or the interesting array of tattoos though that has fans speculating about the eery similarities, but the entire August Moons band as a whole. A brand new Instagram account for the fictional band was created and immediately shared photos of Galitzine and the rest of the actors of The Idea of You in the boy band. The comments on almost all of the posts are unsurprisingly flooded by One Direction fans sharing their reactions: 

• 1D is back - @pradafe shared on this photo 
• welcome back harry styles from one direction - @marianaavf commented on this photo which features a caption similar to the ones Styles' used to use on his own posts
• the new generation of one directionnnn - @buterasaugust wrote on this photo

As if the aesthetics of the band weren’t enough, the stage setup is similar to those used on One Direction’s massive world tours and the first August Moon single also sounds like it belongs in the real boy band’s discography. However, this might be more intentional than the other similarities since the song “Dance Before You Walk” is written by the same duo who penned 1D’s debut single “What Makes You Beautiful.” 

While fans may never know how much, if any, One Direction research the creatives behind The Idea of You did while bringing August Moon to life, Directioners should definitely tune into the movie to see how deep the similarities actually go. Thankfully it’ll be for fans to do since the movie will be available to all Prime Video subscribers starting May 2nd. 

As Anyone But You recently showed the world, the rom-com is trending with audiences once again. So it's time for other players on the 2024 movie schedule and beyond to get in the game. Luckily Amazon is jumping in sooner rather than later, as rom-com royals Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway are teaming up to get cozy in the streamer’s latest genre offering, The Idea of You.

Based on author Robinne Lee’s book of the same name, the film shows what happens when art gallery owner Solène (Anne Hathaway) accidentally meets boy band singer Hayes (Nicholas Galitzine) at Coachella. One chance encounter is all it takes to send these lovebirds up in the air together, and as you can see, it’s the stuff that rom-coms of the past and present are made of. 

What we know about The Idea of You basically boils down to a simple concept. If Notting Hill and the After movies had a baby, then the story of Hayes and Solène would be that fully grown person, ready for its meet-cute moment. And oh baby, doesn’t it look adorable? 

We really need to talk about how The Idea of You has assembled an Avengers style team to make this perfect mashup a reality. Director Michael Showalter continues to prove himself a veteran director of this format. as previous works such as The Big Sick, The Lovebirds, and even the somber drama Spoiler Alert have all been a credit to his skills with romantic stories.

Not to mention Nicholas Galitzine’s Red, White & Royal Blue role did help spur on the rom-com revolution, as another Amazon Prime original in 2023. Put all of these factors together with Anne Hathaway’s storied resume of rom-coms like The Princess Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada, and you’ve got a formula that seems primed to work out rather marvelously.

But if you’re asking for my general opinion of when The Idea of You truly proved its rom-com credentials, it’s when Barb and Star go to Vista del Mar’s Annie Mumolo popped up. As a co-writer and actor in both that 2021 laugh riot and the Academy Award nominated easter egg factory Bridesmaids, seeing Ms. Mumolo arriving on the scene pushed this project over the top. 

Yes readers, the rom-com is truly back, and The Idea of You has been waiting for this moment to make itself known. Fittingly enough, it'll begin to make music as the closing film of this year’s SXSW festival. So if you're in attendance this year, maybe you'll be able to hit it off with this movie earlier than the rest of us. I say that, because viewers at large will have to wait until May 2nd to see it, which is when the Prime Video exclusive will make its streaming debut. 

In the meantime, if you’re a fan looking forward to a certain upcoming book-to-movie adaptation, then there’s something I want you to meet. It's a guide keeping track of those projects, and I think you two would be adorable together!

Are you ready for the The Idea of You movie adaptation? 

There seems to be a trend going around – and it's what I like to call the "fanfiction to book to movie pipeline." As an avid reader of fanfiction (guilty as charged), I have seen this repeatedly, where a particular idea is spun off into a book, which is usually based on the love of a specific story or a person, like Fifty Shades of Grey or After. 

While The Idea Of You wasn't fanfiction originally, the novel was inspired by singer Harry Styles and was published online first, like many of these other fanfiction-based novels, according to Vogue. The book’s adaptation will star Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine, but who else will co-star? And what is this movie going to be about? Here is what we know so far about The Idea of You.  

What Is The Idea Of You Release Date?

As of this update in March 2024, The Idea of You will be released on May 2, 2024, according to the official trailer on Youtube. 

The movie was filmed in 2022, as we’ll get into later, but now it’s officially coming out as part of the 2024 movie release schedule. 

Even so, the movie will be released on Amazon Prime, which had a great 2023 in terms of film. The streamer released Red, White & Royal Blue, making us feel all the feelings and was a massive step in representation for LGBTQ+ movies. The streaming service also released the Eddie Murphy-led Candy Cane Lane and the drama, The Burial. Can’t wait to see this addition. 

Check Out The Trailer For The Idea Of You

If you’re at all interested in this new sizzling romance, then you have to check out the first trailer that was released in March 2024. It gives us a look into the spicy romance we are about to watch unfold – and how age sometimes really is just a number when it comes to people you love. 

Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine And More Star

As the introduction mentions, Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine will star in The Idea of You, but there are plenty of other big names that you should know about. Here is the cast:

Anne Hathaway as Solène

Hathaway's casting announcement came out in June 2021 from Deadline, when the movie was confirmed to be happening. The actress will play a 40-year-old divorced mother named Solène (which was previously billed as Sophie). 

Anne Hathaway has done many great films, from her time in The Devil Wears Prada to her Academy Award-winning performance as part of the Les Misérables cast. 

The actress even had a 2023 release with the movie, She Came To Me, alongside Peter Dinklage. 

Nicholas Galitzine as Hayes Campbell

Galitzine was confirmed to star alongside her in September 2022, according to Deadline. Galitzine will play Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of a boyband. 

The actor has made a considerable name for himself over the last few years. He was a part of the Cinderella adaptation on Amazon Prime, but aside from that, he was also one of the stars of the Bottoms cast in 2023 and was one of the co-leads of Red, White & Royal Blue, as well as the 2022 Netflix release, Purple Hearts.

Ella Rubin as Izzy

Variety reported in mid-October 2022 that Ella Rubin had joined the cast, where she will play Solène’s daughter, Izzy. The character is the primary catalyst for how Solène meets Hayes. She’s appeared in Masters of the Air, The Rewrite, Gossip Girl and more. 

The Boys Of August Moon

The Hollywood Reporter announced several actors in early October 2022, confirming that Jaiden Anthony, Raymond Cham (The Big Leap), Vik White (He’s All That), and Dakota Adan (East Los High) would sign on to round out the boy band in the movie.

The Idea Of You Is Based On The Book Of The Same Name By Robinne Lee

As confirmed in the Deadline article regarding Hathaway's casting and the Vogue story above, The Idea of You is based on the book of the same name, written by Robinne Lee.

The movie will follow a divorced 40-year-old mother named  Solène who has to take her daughter, Izzy, to a music festival when Izzy's father cancels. It’s there that she ends up meeting Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of the most popular boy band, August Moon. There, she enters a whirlwind romance that follows her learning how to reclaim her sexuality. 

While there have been rumors that the movie is based on fanfiction, the author has said it was never meant to be that. Robinne Lee, in that same interview with Vogue, said that Harry Styles only inspired her for the character of Hayes. The book was about female empowerment and learning how to rediscover your body after a certain age:

I can understand that – and I can also see why most people would believe this movie is based on fanfiction, based on the premise.

The Idea Of You Will Be Rated R

According to the official trailer for the film, The Idea Of You will be Rated R, so it’s going to be quite the spicy romance for those who decide to check it out. I don’t think any of us are prepared. 

The Idea Of You Is 115 Minutes Long

Amazon confirmed that The Idea Of You will follow the trend that most of the best rom-coms tend to  by being under two hours. 

Thankfully, the film will sit at a comfortable 115 minutes, just under two hours. While that is a little surprising considering many rom-coms tend to cap their runtime at about 90 minutes, I’ll be sitting for every single second. 

The Soundtrack Will Feature Original Songs Composed By Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX

So, obviously, with a movie that features a boy band in it, it would pretty much be a sin for there not to be a soundtrack attached. Thankfully, IndieWire confirmed in March 2024 that there will be original songs composed by Jack Antonoff and Charlie XCX – in fact, one song is even available to stream right now on Amazon Music, called “Dance Before We Walk.”

On the Amazon Music site, it looks like there are about eleven tracks that will be featured in the film. Normally, we wouldn’t be this excited about a soundtrack, but a popular Amazon Prime series, Daisy Jones and the Six, had major success with its soundtrack drop, so I would not be surprised if the soundtrack for The Idea Of You ends up being similar. 

Michael Showalter Is Directing

Confirmed by Deadline in August 2022, it was announced that Michael Showalter would direct The Idea of You. The director has done several films, such as Spoiler Alert, Wet Hot American Summer, The Eyes Of Tammy Faye, and The Big Sick. So The Idea of You is in good hands. 

I am counting down the days until we get to see this movie, and I need to see Hathaway kill it alongside Galitzine. Let's freaking go. 

Nicholas Galitzine was perfectly cast as Henry in Red, White and Royal Blue. However, that is just one of many movies where he’s been the ideal actor for that role. He has perfectly played a prince in multiple movies, a gay hero in a few films, and even an aspiring musician in a movie or two. Nicholas Galitzine has had an interesting film career already. Hopefully, it continues to evolve with each new project.

If you are unfamiliar with Galitzine’s other projects, besides Red, White and Royal Blue, then look no further because he has plenty of movies to put on your radar. Let’s take a journey through the Nicholas Galitzine filmography.  

The Beat Beneath My Feet (2014) 

The Beat Beneath My Feet is a dramedy starring the late Luke Perry and Nicholas Galitzine. Galitzine plays a teen named Tom who dreams of the rockstar lifestyle. Perry plays his neighbor Steve who used to be a famous musician but a tragedy ended his career. Steve and Tom form an unlikely friendship as Steve teaches him how to gain confidence to perform. 

The Beat Beneath My Feet is a dramedy that also combines experimental elements, such as musical dream sequences. It’s not Perry or Galitzine’s best movie or performance but it’s a low-stakes film that feels like a combination of a nostalgic  Disney Original movie and a CW teen drama. 

Stream The Beat Beneath My Feet on Peacock.
Rent/buy The Beat Beneath My Feet on Amazon.

High Strung (2016) 

High Strung is a dance movie similar to the Step Up franchise. It includes random dance sequences that make you miss Step Up and long for the days of Center Stage. High Strung follows aspiring professional ballet dancer Ruby (Keenan Kampa) and aspiring professional violinist Johnnie (Nicholas Galitzine). She’s struggling to keep up at this elite professional arts school and he’s just trying to survive.

High Strung isn’t one of the best dance movies, but it’s a cute romantic one. You watch as Johnnie and Ruby work together to help achieve their dreams. Obviously, they also start to fall for each other. Yes, it has some Save the Last Dance elements thrown in as well.

Stream High Strung on Tubi.
Rent/buy High Strung on Amazon.

Handsome Devil (2016) 

Handsome Devil follows Ned (Fionn O’Shea) who is an outcast at his school for not worshipping rugby like the rest. Ned is also bullied by the other students at his all-boys boarding school about his sexuality. A new boy named Conor (Nicholas Galitzine) becomes his new roommate. Conor is one of the stars of the rugby team.

This makes Ned believe that he will also isolate and ostracize him. However, they bond and form a close friendship. It’s later revealed that Conor is gay. They both must navigate what that means in this world of toxic masculinity and casual homophobia.  Handsome Devil is an underrated indie movie that more people need to watch, not only for Galitzine’s performance in it but for the writing as well. It’s one of the best movies on Peacock right now. 

Stream Handsome Devil on Peacock.
Rent/buy Handsome Devil on Amazon.

The Changeover (2017)  

The Changeover is a supernatural movie about a teen girl named Laura (Erana James) who must fight a sinister figure, Carmody (Timothy Spall) who wants to drain the life of her younger brother for his immortality. Sorensen (Nicholas Galitzine) is her love interest who guides her and helps her try to save her brother.

This is a film that’s a lot more supernatural than romantic but it’s an interesting story that feels quite dark, but that’s what gives it its character. The stakes feel real and you’re not confident that Laura can save her brother in time. 

Stream The Changeover on Tubi.
Rent/buy The Changeover on Amazon.

Share (2019) 

Share showcases the damaging effects of viral videos while also exploring sexual assault and reputation. Mandy (Rianne Barreto) discovers that a video of her has gone viral from a drunken night that she doesn’t remember. Nicholas Galitzine plays A.J., one of the main guys in the video and the focus of the investigation.

Because of Share’s subject matter, it’s not a film that’s lighthearted and happy. It’s a really dark movie that exposes the reality faced by many women and girls. It features fantastic performances by the cast, especially Barreto and Poorna Jagannathan, who plays Mandy’s mother. 

Stream Share on Tubi.

The Craft: Legacy (2020) 

The Craft Legacy is a continuation of the original Craft movie (confirmed by the movie’s ending). It follows a new group of four teenage witches. Together they begin to hone and learn the limitations and strengths of their powers. It stars Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone, and Zoey Luna. Nicholas Galitzine plays Timmy, the school bully who the girls reform using magic. 

The Craft: Legacy does a good job of reforming Timmy in such a short time frame. He goes from an annoying, unlikable bully to a sweet and heartwarming boy. This is a testament to Galitzine’s acting abilities. With limited screen time, he’s able to be a convincing villain and likable character in the same movie.

Stream The Craft: Legacy on Starz.
Rent/buy The Craft: Legacy on Amazon.

Cinderella (2021) 

Cinderella is the Prime Video version starring Camila Cabello in the title role. It also features an all-star cast that includes Idina Menzel, Minnie Driver, Billy Porter, and Pierce Brosnan. Nicholas Galitzine plays Cinderella’s love interest, Prince Robert.

This Cinderella movie may not rank high on the charm scale but it has plenty of great musical moments. These fun musical moments include a rendition of “Somebody to Love” performed by Galitzine. Yes, similar to his The Idea of You co-star Anne Hathaway’s Ella Enchanted version. 

Stream Cinderella on Prime Video.

Purple Hearts (2022) 

Purple Hearts is a Netflix original movie about a songwriter and a marine who get married to receive military benefits. It stars Sofia Carson and Nicholas Galitzine as Cassie and Luke. This fake dating movie goes the extra mile by making it a fake marriage film. Cassie and Luke’s relationship starts off awkwardly because they don’t really know each other, but it grows into something deeper the longer they’re together.

Carson and Galitzine have great chemistry so you can’t help but root for them to figure it all out and continue to trick the government. 

Stream Purple Hearts on Netflix.

Bottoms (2023) 

Bottoms is a comedy about two lesbian high school kids who form a women’s fight club in order to try to hook up with their crushes. Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri star. The Bottoms cast also includes Ruby Cruz, Havana Rose Liu, Kaia Gerber, Nicholas Galitzine, and Miles Fowler. Galitzine plays Jeff, the star of the football team and Isabel’s (Havana Rose Liu) boyfriend.

This is by far Galitzine’s funniest performance. Jeff is a standout character in a film full of them. He’s the type of ridiculous that makes him awful but slightly endearing. 

Rent/buy Bottoms on Amazon.

Red, White and Royal Blue (2023) 

Red, White and Royal Blue is a romantic comedy about a British prince and the son of the President of the United States falling in love. It stars Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine as Alex and Henry. Book fans can appreciate how closely the movie follows the book on which it's based, and Galitzine and Perez's amazing on-screen chemistry. They expertly transport Alex and Henry from page to screen.

Red, White and Royal Blue and Bottoms are a perfect movie night combination because they show Galitzine’s acting versatility. He plays serious and earnest Henry in the Prime original and silly, silly Jeff in Bottoms.

Stream Red, White and Royal Blue on Prime Video.

Nicholas Galitzine continues to take on interesting projects that highlight his potential to eventually become a household name. Catch Nicholas Galitzine next starring alongside Anne Hathaway in The Idea of You and in the miniseries Mary & George. 

When it comes to the spectrum of people and personalities, you can’t get more different than Prince Henry in Red, White & Royal Blue and Jeff in Bottoms. They’re literal polar opposites, the prince is refined, kind, respectful, intelligent and royal. Meanwhile, Jeff is dumb, shallow, pouty and a cocky jock. However, somehow, these two guys are played by the same actor, Nicholas Galitzine, and the characters live in the worlds of two fantastic queer comedies on the 2023 movie schedule. So, with that in mind, I’m here to propose a double feature of epic proportions: Red, White & Royal Blue and Bottoms.  

Picture a double feature with chaos levels that are almost on the same wavelength as Barbenheimer, and you’ll have the combo I’m suggesting. While it seems like Bottoms -- a comedy about two high school girls and longtime BFFLs who create a fight club at their school -- and Red, White & Royal Blue -- a rom-com about the prince of England and the first son of the United States falling in love -- don’t go together at all, they’re actually tied together by Galitzine. And let me tell you, the range he shows off in these two movies alone makes them worth watching back to back. 

I think one of the most jarring viewing experiences I’ve had was finishing the wholesome and romantic Red, White & Royal Blue, agreeing with the lovely fan reactions, and then watching Bottoms, which punches through teen comedy tropes in a raunchy and violent way, a couple of weeks later.  

I was coming off of watching Galitzine play the emotional core of a rom-com when I saw Bottoms. Prince Henry, while he has his funny moments, acts as the dramatic heartbeat of the movie. His falling in love with Alex and coming to terms with how to share his sexuality and love with the world is a very serious part of an overall light-hearted queer rom-com. Red, White & Royal Blue made me feel all the feels and reach for the tissues because it was so sweet. And then I saw Bottoms, which had me reaching for tissues for a totally different reason. 

So, about two weeks after seeing RWRB (and rewatching RWRB) I trekked to the theater to see Bottoms. I was so excited to see Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri (two actresses I adore)  lead the cast of Bottoms in a queer comedy all about girls creating a fight club. Also, after seeing the trailer for their film, I was intrigued by the idea of Galitzine, a typically dramatic actor, playing Jeff, the dumb, womanizing football player. I was genuinely shell-shocked by the whole movie in the best way, and I was laughing so hard I was crying. But, what was especially shocking was Jeff and the fact that the actor behind Prince Henry was playing him. 

It was genuinely hard for me to comprehend that the man who portrayed Prince Henry and dramatically confessed his love to Alex was also the same dude who aggressively yelled this in Bottoms:

In Bottoms, Galitzine also would occasionally just randomly yell his name – “Jeff!” – dramatically dance, and act like an immature jock in a hilariously obnoxious way. He committed fully to the bit with this dumb football player, and that alone is ultra funny. However, when you juxtapose it with his performance as Prince Henry, it becomes even better, and a great reason to see both films back to back. 

Along with Galitzine’s performances being true highlights of both films, these two movies are also fantastic queer comedies that deserve as many viewers as possible. One is all about two men falling in love, and figuring out how to share that love with the world. While the other tells the horney story of two lesbians who start a fight club to get with girls, but it ends up being a sweet commentary on female friendship and becoming comfortable with one's sexuality. So, do yourself a favor and go check out Bottoms and Red, White & Royal Blue as soon as you can, and make it a double feature if possible. 

While you can do this double feature in whatever order you’d like, I propose you start by streaming Red, White & Royal Blue with an Amazon Prime subscription and then go catch a late screening of Bottoms in theaters. You’ll go from Prince Henry to Jeff, which has a comedic juxtaposition you can’t fully appreciate until you’ve seen it in all its glory, and you’ll get to take in two of the best comedies of the summer!

The Bottoms cast boasts an impressive array of talent, and we're going to delve into their previous appearances that might ring a bell. 

R-rated comedy movies have always been a massive deal at the box office. From classics like The Hangover to some of the newest additions to the genre, like the raunchy Joy Ride or the Jennifer Lawrence-led No Hard Feelings, this genre has consistently drawn crowds. But today, we're shifting our focus to the hilarious Bottoms. 

Starring Ayo Edebiri, Rachel Sennott, and many more, it tells the story of two high school girls who start a female fight club to hook up with cheerleaders before graduating. This cast is full of young and established talent, so let's get into it. 

Ayo Edebiri 

First up on this list is Ayo Edebiri, one of the leads. Edebiri is a name that has steadily popped up on more people's radars over the last few years, whether it be because of movies or television. 

On TV, Edebiri is primarily known for her role in The Bear, where she plays Sydney, a part that has earned her several accolades, including a Primetime Emmy nomination. Besides that, she's also had a recurring role on Clone High, held a voice role on Big Mouth, was a part of the Black Mirror Season 6 cast, and had a recurring role on Abbott Elementary. She also worked as a writer on the fantastic Apple TV+ series Dickinson, and held a recurring role in the series.

Edebiri has also appeared in a few films now. She had voice roles in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. She also appeared in Theater Camp, As of Yet, The Sweet East, Hello, Goodbye, And Everything in Between, and more. Honestly, this is just the beginning of us seeing her. 

Rachel Sennott 

Next up is Rachel Sennott, another one of the leads. She mostly became known from her role in the A24 horror movie Bodies Bodies Bodies but has appeared in other films such as Tahara, Shiva Baby, and Susie Searches. 

Besides movies, she had a recurring role in The Idol cast and appeared in Call Your Mother and High Maintenance. 

Ruby Cruz 

Next up on our Bottoms cast list is Ruby Cruz. The young actress has not appeared in major motion pictures, only in several film shorts. This is her first major film role. 

However, Cruz has appeared in a few television shows. She was a part of the Disney+ series Willow (which was tragically canceled), appeared on the critically acclaimed Mare of Easttown, and guest starred on the series Castle Rock. 

Havana Rose Liu 

Havana Rose Liu is next on our list. Liu has guest-starred in two episodes of the college-based Netflix series The Chair, but other than that, her television experience has been limited so far.

Even so, Liu has appeared in three films before this: Mayday, The Sky is Everywhere, and No Exit. 

Kaia Gerber 

Moving on, we take a look at Kaia Gerber. Besides the R-rated comedy, Gerber has only appeared in Babylon thus far – which has been gaining much popularity online over the last few months, especially with star Margot Robbie's performance.

Gerber has appeared on television more than in films. She was a part of the American Horror Stories cast and was also in American Horror Story: Double Feature. Besides that, she also held a part in the TV film, Sister Cities. 

Nicholas Galitzine

Nicholas Galitzine is a name I'm sure many have been hearing about over the last couple of years. Galitzine has appeared in a fair share of movies. Prominently, he portrayed the prince in the Amazon adaptation of Cinderella, and in 2023, he co-starred in Red, White, and Royal Blue on Amazon Prime Video. 

Besides that, he appeared in films such like High Strung, The Craft: Legacy, Purple Hearts, Share, and Handsome Devil. The actor also held a part in the TV film, The Watcher in the Woods, and had a prominent role in Chambers. 

Miles Fowler

Moving on, we look at Miles Fowler from the Bottoms cast. So far, Fowler hasn't done any other film work, but he has appeared in guest and recurring roles in various TV shows. These include Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, The Resident, and Women of the Movement. 

Dagmara Domińczyk 

Next is Dagmara Domińczyk, who has much more experience in movies and TV than her younger co-stars here. The actress has gained popularity in the last few years for her role in Succession but has also appeared in TV shows such as We Own This City and more, mainly in guest appearances. 

Domińczyk has also been in many films, including Rock Star, The Count of Monte Cristo, Higher Ground, The Lost Daughter, Trust the Man, The Immigrant, The Assistant, and many more. 

Marshawn Lynch

Moving on, we look at Marshawn Lynch from the Bottoms cast, who didn't get his start as an actor – his career began in the NFL, where he spent most of his career playing for the Seattle Seahawks, but once he retired, he switched over to acting. 

Lynch appeared in the football-centered comedy film, 80 for Brady, and has guest starred on several shows such as Westworld, The League, Murderville, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. 

Punkie Johnson

Lastly, we'll talk about Punkie Johnson from the Bottoms cast. Johnson is primarily known for her repertory role on Saturday Night Live, where she plays various characters. Still, she's also appeared in several other shows such as A Black Lady Sketch Show, Love Life, Ghosts, Space Force, Corporate, and Take My Wife. 

With such a great cast, Bottoms is, no doubt, making audiences laugh everywhere. Hopefully, we'll begin to see more of these awesome cast members in movies and shows as time goes on. 

Spoilers for Red, White & Royal Blue are ahead! If you haven’t watched the rom-com, you can stream it right now with an Amazon Prime subscription. 

When I heard the beloved rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue would be making an appearance on this year’s list of book-to-screen adaptations, I was immediately reminded of all the feelings I had while reading Casey McQuiston’s novel. It turns out all those emotions about the First Son and the Prince of England going from enemies to lovers – swooning, affection, amusement and more – were also felt while watching the movie, and I was so happy. Seeing Alex and Henry’s royal love story play out on screen was a lovely experience (even though I have one minor complaint). Overall, I was left feeling all warm and fuzzy inside when the credits started to roll on the Amazon Prime rom-com, because this movie brings all these wonderful emotions out of its audience. 

Swooning  

I’ll say it, Alex and Henry are a hot couple, and I won’t apologize for it – it’s simply a fact. They are gorgeous boys, they have undeniable chemistry, and their story had me wishing for my own First Son or Prince love interest. Both Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez understood the assignment, and played Henry and Alex, respectively, perfectly, making me, and many viewers, fall head over heels in love with their love. 

From their steamy scenes in the red room and Paris, to their heartfelt moments shared in Henry’s home and the art museum, the couple was so undeniably in love with each other, I couldn’t handle it. Not only were they swooning for each other, I was swooning hardcore over the two of them too.

Affection  

The amount of love, care and affection I felt toward Henry and Alex is overwhelming in the best way possible. After the first second I saw these two boys interact, I knew I was a goner, and I was 100% invested in their stories. Seeing how much they care for each other, their loved ones and their countries only added to this affection, and throughout the movie, I was actively cheering them on. 

This emotion was at the forefront specifically when the two boys faced hardship. When Henry struggled to figure out how to be his truest self while handling the pressures of being a prince, I couldn’t help but empathize with the sweet prince who was trying so hard to do what was best for everyone. Then, when Alex came to London to support him, and they fell onto the stairs in a hug, I was grabbing for a tissue. And don’t even get me started on that “History, huh?” line… my heart was basically leaping out of my chest.

Amusement  

This movie brought both the rom and the com in big ways, and I was so pleasantly surprised by how they infused the film with tons of comedy. While rom-coms are always funny, they tend to lean more into the rom side, which this movie does. However, it also has genuinely silly and hilarious moments throughout that had me legitimately laughing out loud.

The scene that had me laughing the hardest was hands down when Zahra found out about Alex and Henry by barging into their hotel room. As she’s freaking out, the boys share a sweet moment about Henry telling his sister about their relationship, before Zahra freaks out again. Sarah Shahi’s strong-willed chief of staff was constantly cracking one-liners as she tried to keep Alex in line, and nothing beat her yelling:

Throughout the film, there are tons of lines like this one that poke fun at the wild premise and logistical nightmare of the first son and a prince falling in love. And overall, this self-aware and direct sense of humor left me wildly amused. 

Bummed 

Before I go further into this, it’s vital for you to know I LOVE this movie. Overall, my minor issue with the film stems from being a fan of the book and not being overjoyed about one of the changes made to Red, White and Royal Blue. At its core, this movie is about Alex and Henry. With that said, because it's about 2 hours, and 418 pages of book can’t be crammed into that amount of time, understandably, cuts were made. But did we really have to fully cut out June?

That’s right, the biggest reason I was bummed while watching this movie was because Alex’s older sister in the book, June, was not included. In the novel, June is her little brother’s support system, she’s hilarious and she plays an integral role in his relationship with Henry. While the movie works just fine without her, as a June Claremont Diaz fan, I was big-time bummed that she wasn’t there and Alex was portrayed as an only child. 

Overjoyed 

If you weren’t feeling all warm, fuzzy and overjoyed by the end of Red, White & Royal Blue, then you probably didn’t watch the same movie I did. As the first reactions for RWRB rolled in it became clear that we were in for a wholesome romantic treat, however, watching this movie I was left in a daze over how happy I was. 

However, the reason overjoyed is last is because of the fantastical film’s final sequences. Between Henry and Alex waving to the big crowd of fans outside of Buckingham Palace, making their first official appearance as a couple, and Alex’s mom winning re-election with both boys present, the end is triumphant and joyful. It honestly is such a happy ending that the film should have ended with a note saying “And they all lived happily ever after,” because I’m fairly certain they did after those joyous final moments. 

Much like when I read Casey McQuiston’s novel, I was feeling all the feels as I watched Alex and Henry’s lovely love story unfold in the adaptation on the 2023 movie schedule. From crying tears of joy when Henry felt safe and comfortable in his sexuality to laughing my head off watching Zarah do damage control on this bonkers situation, I couldn’t help but feel a whole swath of positive feelings throughout the film. The overwhelming positive emotions that ran through me far outweighed the slightly negative one, and I know for a fact I’ll stream Red, White & Royal Blue over and over again. 

Spoilers for Red, White & Royal Blue are ahead! If you haven’t watched the movie yet, you can stream it with an Amazon Prime subscription. 

At the time of this writing, Red, White & Royal Blue quite literally just dropped on the 2023 movie schedule. The film is one of the highly anticipated entries on our list of book-to-screen adaptations, and even though it’s only been out for a few days, people are already asking about a sequel to the movie based on Casey McQuiston's bestselling LGBTQ+ rom-com. After seeing Alex and Henry achieve their goals, and come out to the public as a couple, the future that awaits them seems bright, and I’d love to see it rather than imagine it. It turns out the movie’s director also wouldn’t be opposed to telling more of the First Prince’s story. 

Matthew Lopez, the director of the Amazon Prime rom-com, told Gay Times that he’s already been pitched ideas for a sequel by his crew, and he has thought about a second film's potential. In the lead-up to its release, Red, White & Royal Blue received super positive reactions from both fans and critics, and many have fallen head over heels for Taylor Zakhar Perez’s first son Alex, Nicholas Galitizine’s Prince Henry and their love story. 

With great love for movies, tends to come big talk of a sequel, and that’s already started. So, the director gave his take on the potential for more stories about First Prince’s romance:

Well, there you have it folks! He’d be down to make another, and I know I’d watch it! As a fan of both the book and movie, I’ve always longed for more of Alex and Henry’s adorable love story, and it sounds like the director and his crew do too. In the same interview, Lopez noted that he’s already had sequels pitched to him by his crew members on Red, White & Royal Blue. He explained that he got potential titles like: “Red, White & Royal Wedding,” and “Red, White & Royal Baby,” honestly, I’d be down for both…why not make this a trilogy?

After saying he’d be down, Lopez was quick to clarify that while he’d be open to making another movie about this couple, nothing is confirmed. He explained:

Notably, Red, White & Royal Blue the book is a singular story, there is no second book. So, if a movie were to be made, and we found out what happened to Alex and Henry after they walked into the first son’s childhood home, it would be a new and uncharted story. 

Lopez made it clear that while he doesn’t know if a sequel is in his future, he’s overjoyed by the love for the book, and the potential the film has to receive the same kind of adoration. He said:

Well, after a few days, my social media feed has been taken over by fans of Red, White & Royal Blue posting their favorite moments from the movie and uploading fan edits of Alex and Henry. While that’s only in my little corner of the internet, the critical and fan response has also been widely positive, proving that there's a lot of love out there for Zakhar Perez and Galitzine's characters. So, much like Alex and Henry’s seemingly bright future, it seems like a similar air of optimism is surrounding a potential sequel. 

While we wait to see if this rom-com about the first son of the United States and the Prince of England wins re-election and gets a sequel, you can stream Red, White & Royal Blue on Amazon Prime.