Movies

Even while watching a movie like Sense and Sensibility to see if characters will fall in love or change their ways, you’re always reminded of the financial pressures of life in 19th-century England. Jane Austen’s stories are fundamentally about love and money – the sheep we see on screen often represent wealth itself. Everyone from minor nobles to the very rich depends on their land for income, even if they don’t work it themselves. In fact, if characters are actively managing things like farms or livestock, as seen in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, it usually means they’re facing financial difficulties. A larger estate always means more sheep, visually representing the importance of money in these characters’ lives and relationships. Austen cleverly shows us this through a simple, effective image.

The upcoming Masters of the Universe movie boasts a large and impressive cast. Nicholas Galitzine will play both Prince Adam and his heroic alter ego, He-Man, facing off against Jared Leto as the villain Skeletor (Keldor). Other actors and their roles include Camila Mendes as Teela, Alison Brie as both Professor Evelyn Powers and Evil-Lyn, Idris Elba as Duncan/Man-At-Arms, Sam C. Wilson as Kronis/Trap Jaw, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Goat Man, Kojo Attah as Tri-Klops, Morena Baccarin as the Sorceress, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson as Malcolm/Fisto, Sasheer Zamata as Suzie, James Purefoy as King Randor, Charlotte Riley as Queen Marlena, Jon Xue Zhang as Ram-Man, and Kristen Wiig as Roboto.

The new Masters of the Universe movie starts with a strange idea. It’s the first attempt to bring the popular toy line and cartoon to life with real actors since the poorly received Dolph Lundgren film in 1987. This time around, He-Man – known as Adam Glenn (played by Noah Galitzine) – is living on Earth and working a boring office job. He’s surprisingly into “nerd stuff” – can you believe it? – but eventually he goes back to Eternia, the magical world where all the classic Masters of the Universe stories take place.

Leading up to the release of his Christmas Day film, Timothée Chalamet heavily promoted himself and his dedication to acting, comparing his consistent high-quality work to that of a boxer. He teamed up with comedian Druski, contributed to a song by EsDeeKid, and playfully declared himself an “unc” (uncle) on his birthday – all gestures that showcased a millennial identity shaped by Black culture. This strategy seems to have worked: Chalamet aimed to appeal to both traditional sports and rap fans, as well as younger audiences familiar with slang originating from African American Vernacular English (AAVE). The film, Marty Supreme, has become A24’s most commercially successful movie ever.

Emma Stone has won two Oscars for her roles in the 2016 film La La Land and the 2023 film Poor Things. She recently received another Oscar nomination for Best Actress, this time for her work in the 2025 film Bugonia. Bugonia earned a total of four nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Fifteen years after being separated from his home, Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) returns to Eternia only to find it ruined by the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto). To rescue his family and planet, Adam must team up with his friends, Teela (Camila Mendes) and Duncan/Man-At-Arms (Idris Elba), and become He-Man – the universe’s most powerful hero.

The latest installment, Fire and Ash, saw a significant drop in viewers compared to the previous film. Although the movie still made a profit, this decline suggests the franchise is losing some of its appeal. This is particularly concerning for Disney, which now owns the series after acquiring 20th Century Fox, as they have planned substantial future investments.

Though Jordan and another character are the main focus of the show, in episode 2, Jordan has a brief encounter with someone new and unknowingly contracts the illness at the heart of the story. By the end of the first three episodes, she starts transforming into a different person, which means the actress who plays Jordan won’t be returning to the role in future episodes.

For the past twenty years, many filmmakers have tried to create a successful Masters of the Universe movie. However, they’ve struggled to update the ’80s cartoon for today’s viewers while still appealing to those who remember and love the original series and the classic Dolph Lundgren film.

As always, some people are clear favorites to win, while others face long odds, even before the event begins. Here’s a full list of those who will likely be celebrating victories and dealing with disappointments this year.