An early preview of Travis Knight's Masters of the Universe finds Jared Leto stealing the show as Skeletor, an advance screening writer saying Leto is incredible in the role as the film heads for its June 5, 2026, theatrical release.
The endorsement is concrete: the writer who saw the movie at an early screening called Leto wildly entertaining, saying he shifts cleanly between a frightening villain and a campy antagonist, and that his performance helped lock in the film's unusual tone. The trailer already hinted at that odd, vocal turn ― the Skeletor voice there was described as wild and, in the screening, the writer noted Leto sounds largely unrecognizable.
Technically, the part is loyal to old-school movie making. The Skeletor suit was all practical on set while CGI is used to animate the character's skeletal face; the movie runs 141 minutes and leans heavily into comedy, an element multiple reviews from the preview praised.
That combination matters because Masters of the Universe is not a minor title on the summer list: it’s a Mattel-backed attempt to translate a storied toy-and-cartoon franchise for a broad audience. Nicholas Galitzine appears as Adam Glenn opposite Leto’s Skeletor, and the film’s blend of action and comedy is being presented as a deliberate tonal choice rather than pure nostalgia.
Still, the preview sits against some real doubts. Leto arrives having seen recent films described as box-office bombs — Morbius and Tron: Ares — and some moviegoers remain wary after past controversies around his methods and public persona. Those concerns are precisely what make an advance endorsement notable: the early reaction frames Leto not as a liability but as a possible engine for the movie's personality.
On set, the writer visited during filming but did not see Leto at work, which leaves part of the performance's construction unseen. What is on view in the screening and trailer is a performance that leans into extremes — a practical suit and vocal choices that the preview writer said combined to define the film's sense of fun and menace.
Practical details for viewers: Masters of the Universe opens in theaters on June 5, 2026, and runs 141 minutes. The film’s pacing and comedic beats were singled out in the preview as integral to how Leto’s Skeletor lands; viewers should expect a darker, broadly comic villain rather than a straight horror turn.
The remaining, immediate question is audience reaction. The early-screening verdict suggests Jared Leto’s Skeletor could be a central selling point for a movie that needs strong word-of-mouth after a cautious build; whether his turn reverses the box-office narrative attached to his recent films will be decided when audiences see the picture in June.
