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He-Man Watch Order: How to watch Masters of the Universe chronologically

If the new movie has you wanting to track down the history of the power of Grayskull, we have the guide to make that happen

Guides by Joshua Lapin-Bertone, Contributing writer

Published on Wed May 27 2026

As He-Man, Skeletor and friends and foes bring the battle for the Power of Grayskull back to the big screen with Amazon MGM Studios Masters of the Universe (in theaters June 5), fans new and old will want to go back and look at what’s come before. Here’s a guide on how to watch all of the He-Man, Masters of the Universe, and even She-Ra movies and television shows to this point — in release and chronological order.

How to watch He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in release order

He Man 1983 Screenshot — Image credit: Mattel

He-Man, She-Ra, and the Masters of the Universe have had a variety of movies and television shows since 1983. There is the original 1983 series, the 1987 live-action movie, a variety of spinoffs, reboots, and more. All of this leads up to the 2026 reboot from Amazon MGM Studios. To watch all the He-Man and She-Ra projects in release order, simply follow this list.

How to watch He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in chronological order

A still from Masters of the Universe — Image credit: Amazon-MGM Studios

There are a ton of He-Man television shows and movies, but they don't all share the same continuity. There is a 'core' canon established by the original 1980s animated series and spin-offs, and then multiple reboots and branching timelines. Here's how to keep track of the multiverse of Masters of the Universe.

Filmation Masters of the Universe in chronological order

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (animated series, 1983-1984)
The Secret of the Sword (1985 animated film)
She-Ra: Princess of Power (animated series, 1985-1987)
He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special (1985 animated television special)
The New Adventures of He-Man (animated series, 1990-1991)

This chronology covers the 1983 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe cartoon, which was produced by Filmation. The success of the series led to the spinoff She-Ra: Princess of Power. The Secret of the Sword was an animated movie that introduced She-Ra and served as a pilot film for her spinoff. He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special was a one-off holiday special that was produced after the original series ended. The New Adventures of He-Man was an attempt to revive the character, placing him in the future to fight new enemies. Although New Adventures wasn’t produced by Filmation, it was intended as an official continuation of their continuity.

The Cannon Group He-Man in chronological order

Masters of the Universe (1987 live-action film)

In 1987 The Cannon Group released Masters of the Universe, a live-action film starring Dolph Lundgren as He-Man. The film has He-Man, Skeletor, and the warriors of Eternia battling on Earth, with Skeletor trying to take over our world. The film was considered a commercial failure, but has since gained a reputation as a cult classic.

The Cartoon Network He-Man in chronological order

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (animated series, 2002-2004)

In 2002 Cartoon Network tried a more mature take on He-Man to coincide with Mattel's attempts to relaunch the toy line. However, the lack of strong toy tales made Cartoon Network pull the plug after two seasons. The 2002 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series was set in its own continuity, separate from other entries of the franchise.

The Dreamworks She-Ra Princesses of Power era in chronological order

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (animated series, 2018-2020)

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power was a Dreamworks-produced reboot focusing on She-Ra and her Etheria allies. Due to rights issues, the show was unable to mention He-Man and other Eternia based characters. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power was a favorite of critics and audiences, who praised the show for its portrayal of powerful women, strong LGBTQIA+ representation, and compelling storytelling. The show ran for five seasons across three years.

Kevin Smith’s Masters of the Universe era in chronological order

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (animated series, 1983-1984)
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (animated series, 2021)
Masters of the Universe: Revolution (animated series, 2024)

In 2021 Kevin Smith produced Masters of the Universe: Revelation, which served as a continuation of the 1983 Filmation series aimed at an older audience. However, Revelation and its sequel series Revolution both ignored the events of She-Ra: Princess of Power and the New Adventures of He-Man, so consider it part of a branching timeline: one branch is the original Filmation family of shows that we listed earlier in the guide, and the other branch is the Kevin Smith series, which is a sequel to the 1983 cartoon, but ignores everything else. Like She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, both Revelation and Revolution streamed on Netflix, and featured an all-star voice cast, including Mark Hamill as Skeletor and Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela.

Netflix’s animated He-Man era in chronological order

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (animated series, 2021-2022)

Netflix kind of had a thing for He-Man in 2021. In addition to Kevin Smith’s series, there was also an unrelated animated series titled He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The series, which was produced by Mattel Television, was a continuity reboot that ran for 26 episodes across three seasons.

Amazon MGM Masters of the Universe in chronological order

Masters of the Universe (2026 live-action film)

Amazon MGM Studios is rebooting the He-Man franchise with a new Masters of the Universe film, which hits theaters June 2026. The film is set in its own continuity, with no connection to the 1983 cartoon or the 1987 film (although both are referenced via Easter eggs).

Pressed for time? How to watch He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in less time

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (animated series, 1983-1984)
The Secret of the Sword (1985 animated film)
Masters of the Universe (1987 live-action film)
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (animated series, 2018-2020)
Masters of the Universe (2026 live-action film)

Consider the above list a highlights reel of the Masters of the Universe canon. The original 1983 animated series establishes the groundwork for everything that followed, with the 1985 Secret of the Sword animated movie introducing She-Ra and the Princesses of Power lore. The 1987 animated movie is an ambitious if misguided attempt to broaden the appeal into something akin to Star Wars, while the 2018 She-Ra reboot is arguably the most critically acclaimed of any Masters of the Universe projects to date, at least until the new 2026 Masters of the Universe movie: a project which seeks to synthesize everything that's gone before into a self-aware pop culture fantasy with a new life ahead of it.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe FAQs

Did Masters of the Universe start life as a toy or a cartoon?

Masters of the Universe began life in 1982 as a toyline from Mattel, inspired by fantasy and adventure characters like Conan the Barbarian. Mattel needed a cartoon to help sell the toys, so He-Man and his friends came to the small screen in 1983 with Filmation's He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. The popularity of the cartoon skyrocketed, resulting in a live-action movie, more shows, and an endless supply of internet memes decades later. He-Man was also given a sister, She-Ra, who has become an iconic character in her own right.

Is He-Man part of DC or the MCU?

No, He-Man is not a part of the DC Universe or the Marvel Universe. Masters of the Universe is owned by Mattel, not Marvel or DC Comics. However, He-Man has had a few crossovers with DC, and he did have a comic published by Marvel.

Superman is transported to Eternia where he meets He-Man in DC Comics Presents #47, which was published in 1982 before the cartoon premiered. He-Man has met up with the DC heroes on other occasions, such as Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe and DC Universe vs. The Masters of the Universe. He-Man has never crossed over with Marvel, but Marvel did publish a Masters of the Universe comic series from 1986-1988 under their Star Comics imprint.

Is Masters of the Universe 2026 a sequel or reboot?

Masters Of The Universe He Man Image 2026 — Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios

The 2026 Masters of the Universe movie is a reboot set in its own continuity. The film has some references and Easter eggs to the 1983 cartoon and the 1987 film, but it’s a new take on the character, with a new origin for Prince Adam. Dolph Lundgren, who played He-Man in the 1987 film, has a cameo appearance, but you don’t need to be familiar with his movie to know what’s going on. Masters of the Universe is a fresh start for the franchise, and the perfect jumping on point for new fans.

Who is playing He-Man in 2026?

Nicholas Galitzine plays He-Man in the 2026 Masters of the Universe film. Galitzine is known for his roles in Purple Hearts and Red, White & Royal Blue. Galitzine prepared for his role in Masters of the Universe by going through an intense exercise routine and eating 4,000 calories a day. If you’ve seen the trailer, then you know this paid off, because Galitzine looks perfect for the part.

Is She-Ra related to He-Man?

Yes, She-Ra is He-Man’s twin sister. She-Ra: Princess of Power reveals that Adora, She-Ra’s alter ego, was kidnapped shortly after she was born. Prince Adam and Adora were unaware of each other until they met as adults in the 1985 film The Secret of the Sword.

He-Man is not mentioned in the 2018 series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power due to rights issues. We can always assume he exists, and that this version of Adora simply doesn’t know about him yet.

Does Adora ever meet her parents?

Yes, Adora reunites with her long-lost parents King Randor and Queen Marlena in the 1985 film The Secret of the Sword. Adora had been kidnapped as an infant and didn’t meet her parents again until she was an adult. However, their reunion was short lived as Adora had to return to Etheria to defend it as She-Ra.

The 2018 version of Adora from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power never meets her birth parents, and we never learn their identities. This version of Adora was brought to Etheria as a baby and raised by Shadow Weaver. We don’t even know if this version of the character is the daughter of Queen Marlena and King Randor, but I like to think she is.

Does Masters of the Universe, He-Man, and She-Ra have LGBTQIA+?

The 2018 animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power includes multiple gay couples, including She-Ra and Catra. There is also a non-binary shapeshifter character named Double Trouble, and a character named Bow with two fathers.

Some viewers have noted that Teela and Andra’s relationship appears queer-coded in the 2021 Masters of the Universe series, but nothing is ever explicitly stated.

Who kills Skeletor?

Nobody, because Skeletor is alive and well. For some reason this is one of the most searched questions related to the Masters of the Universe franchise. Skeletor never dies in the cartoons, and in the 1987 film he’s knocked into a pit but survives. In the 2021 Netflix series He-Man uses the Sword of Power to purge the corruption from Skeletor, transforming him back to Keldor. Skeletor has died in a few alternate reality comics, such as Injustice vs. Masters of the Universe where he’s killed by Superman.

Where can I watch He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

He Man And Fisto — Image credit: Netflix

Trying to track down the Masters of the Universe on streaming services is a quest in itself, with shows split across multiple services:

The original 1983 cartoon and the 1987 live-action film are currently streaming on Tubi.
The original She-Ra cartoon and The New Adventures of He-Man can be found on the Roku Channel.
The 2002 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe series is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Netflix is the current streaming home for Masters of the Universe: Revelation, Masters of the Universe: Revolution, and the 2021 He-Man and the Masters of the Universe animated series.
You can watch the 1985 film The Secret of the Sword and He-Man & She-Ra: A Christmas Special on the official Masters of the Universe YouTube channel.

As of this writing She-Ra and the Princesses of Power isn’t on any streaming service, but that will probably change once one of the many streaming services snatches up the license. Please note, the availability of these shows could change once streaming licenses expire and new deals are made.

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Joshua Lapin-Bertone: Joshua is a pop culture writer specializing in comic book media. His work has appeared on the official DC Comics website, the DC Universe subscription service, HBO Max promotional videos, the Batman Universe fansite, and more. In between traveling around the country to cover various comic conventions, Joshua resides in Florida where he binges superhero television and reads obscure comics from yesteryear.