Metro Manila, Philippines – Jared Leto takes on the role of iconic villain Skeletor in the upcoming film Masters of the Universe, as filmmakers spotlight the forces of evil threatening Eternia.
In the film, the planet has fallen under Skeletor’s rule, prompting He-Man to return from exile on Earth and lead a group of heroes in a bid to reclaim their world. The latest “Forces of Evil” vignette highlights the skull-faced tyrant and the villains fighting alongside him.
Producer Jason Blumenthal said Skeletor’s drive for power stems from something deeper.
“Skeletor, on his surface, seems like he just wants power and he’s willing to do whatever it takes, but it’s what’s lacking in him that makes him want that power,” Blumenthal said.
Director Travis Knight praised Leto’s performance, describing it as both unpredictable and memorable.
“He will make these choices that you don’t see coming and that really does help to make Skeletor distinctive. He’s just an extraordinarily memorable villain,” Knight said.
Joining Leto is Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, Skeletor’s cunning right hand. Brie said the film blends humor with classic elements of the franchise.
“I think the most exciting thing to me about this iteration of He-Man is the sense of humor,” Brie said.
She added that Evil-Lyn’s relationship with Skeletor is complex and unstable.
“She vacillates between sort of loving Skeletor, and idolizing him, and being very excited for him to get the power, but secretly she wants to have all the power,” Brie said.
Also among the villains is Trap Jaw, played by Sam C. Wilson, who described the physically demanding process of portraying the cyborg character.
“With the amazing work that the prosthetics team has done, I can make this guy feel eerie and strange,” Wilson said.
Meanwhile, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson plays Goat Man, a horned enforcer inspired by the classic franchise.
“All of us were at some point influenced by these characters,” Björnsson said.
Masters of the Universe is set to premiere in Philippine cinemas on June 3.
This is a news release from Columbia Pictures
