"Was there ever a more homoerotic action figure than He-Man? It's right there in the name. With bulging biceps, tiny underwear, and thighs that could easily crack a cantalope, the toy version of the Masters of the Universe hero looms large in the cultural imagination-arguably much larger than the short-lived animated show that first introduced him to 80s kids everywhere."
"After the runaway success of 2023's Barbie, Mattel's film division has been flexing its muscles in the form of forthcoming dark, A24 take on Barney, a Polly Pocket live action film, and now, Masters of the Universe, a He-Man origin story starring Galitzine as the pageboy haircut-wearing, power sword-thrusting hero himself. The film is due out this June, and to mark the occasion, Mattel recently released a brand new He-Man action figure bearing Galitzine's visage, a development Galitzine called "a childhood dream come true""
He-Man action figures emphasize exaggerated musculature, minimal clothing, and suggestive aesthetics that have long elicited homoerotic readings. He-Man as both toy and character has prompted numerous gay awakenings since the 1980s. Nicholas Galitzine will portray He-Man in a forthcoming origin film produced by Mattel, part of a slate that includes darker and live-action adaptations of classic toy properties. Mattel released a new He-Man figure modeled on Galitzine to coincide with the film, and Galitzine described the moment as "a childhood dream come true." Fan responses recalled personal, often sexualized memories tied to the character.
Read at Queerty
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