Amazon’s fantasy reboot finds success on Prime Video after a disappointing theatrical release.

A lackluster box office performance or poor reviews doesn’t always spell doom for a film. Streaming services have increasingly become a second chance for movies to connect with audiences who may have missed them initially. Take Liam Neeson’s 2024 crime thriller, In the Land of Saints and Sinners, which recently climbed into Netflix’s top 10 two years after its theatrical debut. Similarly, Netflix’s The Last House reached the No. 1 spot worldwide, despite a dismal 27% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. Now, one of this summer’s biggest box office flops has pulled off a similar feat on Prime Video.

Masters of the Universe, directed by Travis Knight, is the live-action He-Man film that struggled in theaters earlier this summer but has surprisingly become a streaming favorite. According to FlixPatrol, the movie has spent 21 days in Prime Video’s top 10, a remarkable turnaround for a $170 million blockbuster that only grossed $113.8 million globally.

The story follows Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), who escapes Eternia as a child after Skeletor (Jared Leto) takes control of the kingdom. Stranded on Earth for a decade, Adam grows into a young man stuck in a dead-end HR job before reclaiming the Sword of Power and returning to fight for Eternia.

While theatergoers may not have turned out in droves, fans have flocked to Prime Video to see what their beloved action figure-turned-movie hero is up to. Mattel launched the toy line in the early 1980s, with He-Man quickly becoming one of the decade’s iconic action figures, leading to the immensely popular He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated series and the 1987 live-action film featuring Dolph Lundgren.

The new film has received generally favorable reviews, currently holding a 67% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 86% audience score. However, one outlet was particularly enthusiastic, calling it a “nearly perfect sci-fi fantasy epic” and praising Knight’s vibrant, maximalist vision of Eternia, highlighting it as the kind of grand, heartfelt action-adventure spectacle that’s rare in today’s Hollywood.

As for a potential sequel to Masters of the Universe, it remains uncertain whether the post-theatrical interest will compensate for its box office failure and lead to a follow-up. Knight mentioned that a sequel is ultimately “up to the world,” expressing his willingness to return if there’s enough demand. The film’s post-credits scene certainly hints at future possibilities, teasing She-Ra and providing Amazon with a clear path if it chooses to revive the franchise on the big screen.