Masters of the Universe

This week on The Worst Movie Podcast, Ade and Aaron tackle Masters of the Universe (1987), the 21% Rotten Tomatoes He-Man adaptation that turned a $22 million budget into $17 million at the box office and helped bankrupt Cannon Films within months. Directed by Gary Goddard — his only feature credit before he left to design theme parks — the movie was hyped as the Star Wars of the 80s, then ran out of money mid-shoot and relocated its intergalactic war to a suburban American strip mall. Dolph Lundgren stars as a glistening, barely-dressed He-Man whose dialogue had to be re-recorded in post. Frank Langella, performing through a rubber Skeletor mask that visibly inflates when he breathes, later called this his favorite role.