Amazon MGM and Sony Pictures’ live-action Masters of the Universe reboot secured a surprise last-minute IMAX release ahead of its theatrical debut on June 5, 2026. The premium format expansion comes at the direct expense of Disney, as Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is relinquishing its IMAX screens earlier than the industry anticipated.
IMAX officially announced the scheduling pivot on Friday, May 29. The company revealed an exclusive poster featuring Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man and opened ticket sales just one week before the film’s premiere. The Travis Knight-directed project was completely absent from the summer slate IMAX shared with investors as recently as April 30.
The Star Wars spin-off has generated $33.8 million globally in IMAX to date, pulling in $7.4 million over the weekend. Now, the fantasy reboot is taking over those slots and playing in 58 IMAX markets.
This late-stage theater allocation is highly unusual for the premium format company, which typically schedules its large-scale releases and opens pre-sales a full month in advance. The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first big-screen Star Wars movie in seven years and originally had a strict three-week lock on these premium screens.
Industry speculation points to a growing rift between Disney and IMAX behind the sudden swap. Disney recently announced its own “Infinity Vision” premium theater certification at CinemaCon to directly rival established IMAX standards. Rumors are circulating among theatrical distributors that IMAX might be penalizing Disney by pulling the Star Wars run early to make room for He-Man.