'Masters of the Universe' Really, Really Wants to Be the Next 'Barbie'

'Masters of the Universe' Really, Really Wants to Be the Next 'Barbie'

The fantasy epic, which opens June 5, hopes to follow in the trail blazed by the 2023 toy-based megahit.

Masters of the Universe Hopes to Follow Barbie's Lead and Question Gender Roles

As far as the toy company Mattel was concerned in the 1980s, the world was split into two groups. Girls played with Barbie and boys played with He-Man. Sure, the respective lines occasionally made gestures to inclusivity, introducing She-Ra and making Ken a bit more active. But for the most part, the toys reinforced indivisible gender roles. The upcoming Masters of the Universe movie is going to continue that trend, but not in the way you’d expe…