As development continues on Masters of the Universe‘s new live-action reboot, the feature has cast the parents of Nicholas Galitzine’s Prince Adam. The upcoming movie is a reimagining of Mattel’s iconic toyline that explores the battles between Prince Adam’s heroic alter-ego He-Man, and the evil menace that is Skeletor over the fate of Eternia. Alongside Galitzine’s Adam, Masters of the Universe‘s cast features Camila Mendes, Jared Leto, Idris Elba, Alison Brie, Johannes Haukur Johannesson, and Morena Baccarin.
As the cast of Masters of the Universe continues to grow, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the head of the Eternian Royal Family has been cast. James Purefoy, known for his roles in A Knight’s Tale, Rome, and Resident Evil, will play King Randor, the current monarch of Eternia renowned for his nobility and leadership skills. Meanwhile, Charlotte Riley, known for roles in Peaky Blinders, London has Fallen, and The Peripheral will play Queen Marlena, the Earth-born queen of Eternia who crash-landed her spaceship on the world.
What King Randor and Queen Marlena’s Casting Means For Masters of the Universe
The Characters’ Roles Are Seemingly A Drastic Change From Their Status Quo
While there are few confirmed details about the story of 2026’s Masters of the Universe, Purefoy and Riley’s casting adds further layers that can shine a light on the movie’s plot. In most adaptations, Randor and Marlena are an active presence in Adam’s life, unaware of his dual identity as He-Man, but nevertheless trying to guide him into becoming a fitting royal.
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However, the 2026 movie is already set to break away from the typical structure of most adaptations, as Masters of the Universe sees a ten-year old Adam crash-landing on his mother’s homeworld, spending twenty years on Earth and only just becoming reacquainted with his heritage in his thirties. As such, Adam will have to become reacquainted with his royal bloodline. However, it is unknown whether Randor and Marlena are alive and ruling Eternia, or whether they have been deposed and potentially even deceased in the present-day storyline.
Our Thoughts On Masters Of the Universe’s Randor And Marlena Casting
Both Actors Have Experience With Elements Of Each Character
Though their involvement in the story isn’t clear at the time of writing, Randor and Marlena’s casting shows that the Masters of the Universe movie is keen on bringing as many members of the series’ core cast to the big screen. With Adam being a prince in exile, it would have been easy to omit his parents from the movie to focus on He-Man and simplify the story for newcomers.
Masters of the Universe‘s scope and the elements of the franchise that will be covered in the movie are becoming clearer with each new addition.
While the capacity of their involvement is unknown, it can be argued that both actors are good choices for the role. Purefoy is no stranger to playing wise rulers thanks to A Knight’s Tale, and Riley’s action role in London Has Fallen provides her with the experience to explore Marlena’s astronaut background. As such, Masters of the Universe‘s scope and the elements of the franchise that will be covered in the movie are becoming clearer with each new addition.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Masters of the Universe
- Release Date
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June 6, 2026
- Director
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Travis Knight
- Writers
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Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, Dave Callaham
- Producers
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Alan Collis, David S. Goyer, Jason Blumenthal, Julia Pistor, Robbie Brenner, Steve Tisch, Todd Black, DeVon Franklin, David Voss
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Nicholas Galitzine
Adam / He-Man
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This story originally appeared on Screenrant
