5 Best Fantasy Movies To Watch If You Like The Masters Of The Universe

After careful inspection of Travis Knight's take on the plastic-coated franchise, "Masters of the Universe" really does have some power. The comedic, action-packed, and unashamedly fun take on He-Man, Skeletor, and every other popular Eternian character has plenty to enjoy. Whether it's Nicholas Galitzine as the new muscle-bound champion or Jared Leto being the surprisingly well-suited foe to face off against, there really is something for everyone. The problem is that after your trip back from Castle Grayskull (and a few post-credit scenes), you might find yourself wanting to get another slice of sword, sorcery, or science fiction. We know because we feel the same, which is why we've put together a list of movies to satisfy those needs.

After skimming through a varied collection of sci-fi and fantasy films, we've brought together a fun watchlist that you'll undoubtedly see where "Masters of the Universe" got its inspiration. We've ridden into battle and found cult classics, massive blockbusters, and misunderstood box-office bombs that deserve some attention. These movies feature either forgotten heroes or universe-saving legends that didn't get the attention they deserved when they first appeared. So suit up, get your sword and shield at the ready and see which fantasy world you want to stop off at next.

If you've enjoyed your trip to Eternia in Travis Knight's all-new take on the "Masters of the Universe," it seems only right that you revisit the first attempt at bringing He-Man and pals to the screen from 1987, regardless of how bad some might think it is. Directed by Gary Goddard, Dolph Lundgren donned the legendary chest plate (and not much else) as He-Man, the hero of Eternia who escapes to Earth while being hunted by Frank Langella's Skeletor, who chews up the screen through some iffy prosthetics. Caught in the middle of it all are out-of-their-depth Courteney Cox and Robert Duncan McNeill, two teenagers from Earth who come into possession of the movie's MacGuffin, the Cosmic Key.

It's only loosely based on the toyline, but Goddard's "Masters of the Universe" attempts to match the size and scope of everything from "The Empire Strikes Back" to other cult hits like "The Dark Crystal." However, even with its questionable plot beats (why exactly does Skeletor need the Cosmic Key?) and some iffy acting from Lundgren in his first post-"Rocky IV" role, it's a fun little romp that has some impressive set pieces and creature designs. In fact, so impactful were the beasties in this flick that the new "Masters of the Universe" director has included them in his take on the franchise (how's it going, Karg?). Also, no matter how many post-credit scenes the new movie might have, the original got there first.

When the trailer for "Masters of the Universe" first made its appearance, comparisons with one of Marvel Studios' top movie picks quickly followed. Now, after seeing the film, those similarities still hold. Even with the addition of former Heimdall himself, Idris Elba, as Man-At-Arms, the world of Eternia looks like it belongs in the same galaxy as Taika Waititi's favored Thor threequel. That's not the only trait Knight's new space opera shares, either. The most surprising asset in "Masters of the Universe" is its sense of humor, which will have you wanting to revisit Chris Hemsworth's last good solo superhero movie, "Thor: Ragnarok."

Taking things in a brighter direction both in tone and visuals than the universally loathed "Thor: The Dark World," Waititi's first run at the god of thunder is still a great watch even after almost ten years. Introducing us to fan favorites like Korg (Waititi), Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and "The Fly" legend, Jeff Goldblum, at his most Goldblum-iest as the Grandmaster, "Ragnarok" is a brilliant reminder of just how good the Marvel Cinematic Universe used to be. If you find yourself cracking up at the He-Man humor, just know that there might be barely any laughs if it weren't for Thor and his friend from work.

If there's one other Marvel hero "Masters of the Universe" will have you keen to get reacquainted with besides the one with the hammer, it's the one prone to kicking bad guys in the face. Much like this fresh new fantasy fish-out-of-water movie, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," sees Simu Liu as the son of a distant land and the estranged son of a powerful figure. The only difference here is that daddy dearest is Xu Wenwu, aka the feared villain The Mandarin (Tony Leung).

Besides being another big gamble for Marvel Studios, "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" makes for a great action movie, with an extra fantasy element that fits perfectly. Liu makes for a brilliant lead hero, finding his feet and his fists getting thrown in some exceptional set pieces. There's also the added entertainment value of Ben Kingsley reprising his role of Trevor Slattery, who steals just about every scene he's in. The only setback is that, despite the demand from Liu and his fans, we still don't have a sequel to "Shang-Chi," and if the track record is anything to go by, we're more likely to see Galitzine's He-Man get another movie of his own sooner. By the power of Grayskull, sort it out, Marvel.

If you're going to watch one sword-filled fantasy after "Masters of the Universe," make sure it's the one accompanied by a Queen soundtrack. "Highlander" sees French star Christopher Lambert put on one of the worst Scottish accents ever committed to film as the titular highlander, Connor MacLeod, an immortal warrior who spends his days trying not to get his head chopped off by others like him until only one remains. Joining him is the stupidly charming Sean Connery as MacLeod's mentor, who is so good that he makes you forget he's supposed to be a half-Egyptian, half-Spanish swordsman. They both face Clancy Brown's bloodthirsty brute, The Kurgan, who is so despicably evil he might even give Skeletor a run for his money.

Although it's a story about folks that can't die, there's no denying that time might not have been as kind to "Highlander" in its set-pieces and swordplay, which is why we should be excited that "John Wick" director Chad Stahelski and Henry Cavill might freshen things up with their impending remake. Even so, the lore built around the film and Freddy Mercury's hair-raising vocals flooding the movie make this a great watch that is a prize in itself. "Masters of the Universe" might have the power, but "Highlander" has a kind of magic.

There's always a risk that sci-fi fantasies won't quite hit the mark with audiences, and one film that suffered such a hit was Andrew Stanton's "John Carter" in 2012. Adapting the literary hero created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the movie casts Taylor Kitsch as John Carter, a soldier fighting in the American Civil War in 1868, who, through a chance encounter, is transported to Mars, which its locals call Barsoom. From there, he finds himself joining a new war and adopting a dress code similar to Galitzine's hero, while fighting aliens and leaping small hills in a single bound due to the planet's low gravity.

One of Disney's biggest bombs to date (it earned over $284 million against a production budget of $306.6 million), "John Carter" suffered from being seen as a clone of the heroes he actually inspired. By adapting a hero conceived in 1912, the source material had been beaten to the big screen by the likes of "Superman," "Star Wars," and even "Avatar." That's not to say that John Carter doesn't pack an entertaining punch, especially with the added supporting talent of Willem Dafoe, Thomas Haden Church, Mark Strong, and Samantha Morton. Give it a look and be reminded that Kitsch might still be one of Hollywood's best with the worst case of bad luck.