Mattel Unveils An Epic ‘Masters Of The Universe’ Publishing Program Ahead New Film

Welcome to the table,

We have been talking a lot about He-Man and the Masters of the Universe behind the scenes here at Comicon.com as we prepare for all sorts of coverage around the upcoming Masters of the Universe film.

Now the discussion is not exactly new; Tony and I are regularly engaged in various platforms across the web and within internal Comicon channels, discussing all things toys with MOTU being one of my favorite things to talk about as I have been a lifelong fan of the lore in all it’s form. Yes, even the original live action movie. Yes, even the Golden Books; The Trap and The Sword of Skeletor were revelations to my 5-year-old mind.

My love for those books in my youth shaped my fandom as an adult, so it is really cool to tell you that Mattel has launched a Masters of the Universe publishing program going through 2026 with offerings from Mattel Press, the company’s own publishing platform, and various publishing partners.

This comes as part of a broader strategic plan to expand the franchise to new audiences worldwide across toys, film, digital experiences, consumer products, and publishing. The lineup so far spans a film-adjacent novel, original middle-grade stories, comics, a graphic novel, and an art book, allowing the brand to reach fans of all ages.

Ryan Ferguson, Global Head of Publishing at Mattel, said: “Masters of the Universe has always been more than a single format — it’s a mythology that evolves across generations and mediums. With this publishing initiative, we aren’t just retelling the film’s story; we’re expanding the world of Eternia in ways that invite fans to go deeper and discover new facets of the universe. Through Mattel Press, we’re partnering with New York Times-bestselling authors and top creative talent to move quickly into diverse formats and reach a broader range of readers, while still delivering rich, meaningful storytelling for longtime fans. From character-driven young adult novels to manga-inspired narratives and fan-centric celebrations of the lore, this slate reflects our ambition to build Masters of the Universe into a fully realized, multi-platform franchise that resonates with fans old and new.”

Timed to the new live action film from Amazon MGM Studios and Mattel Studios, releasing theatrically in the US on June 5th and internationally throughout that month, the publishing program from brings the movie to life with titles that “let readers go deeper into Eternia”. Those titles include:

Masters of the Universe: The Junior Novel is a retelling the story of the film for younger readers by Steve Behling set to for release in May. Additionally, there are a slew of other stories, including a storybook for early readers based on the film titled Masters of the Universe: The Power Within and Masters of the Universe: I Am He-Man! out the same month by Eric Geron.

We are also getting Teela: Daughter of Eternos, an original young adult novel set in the film universe —  written by New York Times bestselling author Mackenzi Lee — expanding the stories of Teela, Man-at-Arms, and Evil-Lyn, which will be out June 2nd.

One of the titles I am very excited about is from Robb Perlman and illustrated by Andrew Kolb. It’s called Skeletor Has No Friends and is set to be a funny little picture book in which Skeletor learns even evil villains need to be a little bit nice sometimes.

So many titles are coming, and I will cover as many of them as I can. But for now, keep your eyes on Comicon.com as we have a lot of Masters of the Universe coverage coming and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Until next time, Skeletor is the only magnet on our fridge at the house, and my published work in the tabletop role-playing space is largely inspired in part by the wonderful lore and characters that come from the Masters of the Universe world. It’s such a part of me, and I’m so excited to see it still being a part of the pop culture conversation for the new generation as they find what things inspire them and bring them joy. They have the power!