Empire magazine has published new details about Skeletor in the upcoming "Masters of the Universe" reboot. Jared Leto spent part of the shoot in a blue muscular costume, but in the final version his face will be completely replaced with a digitally animated skull. The studio rejected the mask option and decided to preserve the character's canonical visual appearance.
Director Travis Knight said that one of the early versions of the script featured Skeletor in a golden mask, but the idea was abandoned. According to him, the compromise approach did not work: the villain had to be a "living, talking, emotion-expressing skull".
Special attention was given to the voice. Leto did not try to reproduce the intonations of Alan Oppenheimer from the 1980s animated series. As a reference point, the actor chose Frank Langella's interpretation from the 1987 film, where Skeletor sounded more theatrical and restrained. In the new version, the timbre is described as "dry" and "Shakespearean," while the character himself is described as an embodiment of "toxic masculinity," while retaining his trademark charisma and irony.
"I wanted someone to create their own version of this character. Jared came to us because he loves Skeletor and has his own story connected with this character. He wanted to take a big risk. In the end, we arrived at something I am really pleased with. Skeletor is a kind of embodiment of toxic masculinity."
The picture will become the second feature-length adaptation of the Mattel franchise after the 1987 film. In the story, Prince Adam returns to a devastated Eternia to confront Skeletor's army. The leading roles are played by Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, and Idris Elba.
The premiere of "Masters of the Universe" in international release is scheduled for June 5, 2026.