Entertainment

The 33 best comedy specials of 2025

Published

6 months ago

December 10, 2025

Wow, 2025 — in the race to dismantle civilization, you certainly outdid yourself. And it took some brilliant stand-ups this year to take our problems big and small and turn them into jokes that reminded us that what we’re going through isn’t so bad or at least offer solace that things could always be worse. The best comedy specials even found a way to bring humanity together. From arena-level acts to L.A.’s favorite local comics, these were our favorite comedy specials from 2025.

Frankie Quiñones, “Damn, That’s Crazy” (Hulu)

In his Hulu debut “Damn That’s Crazy,” comedy sketchmaster Frankie Quiñones, who earned viral fame for his Cholofit character, does all the heavy lifting as himself. And at certain points, he definitely gets heavy. Directed by Ali Wong, the special takes viewers on a journey of relationship baggage, pandemic-related sex addictions and unresolved family trauma over sexual abuse he endured when he was a child. Yet still — there are plenty of laughs along the way. It’s the type of thing that people will certainly label as brave, but only because it succeeds without trying to be. (Nate Jackson)

Andrew Schulz: LIFE. Andrew Schulz at the Beacon Theatre in New York, NY. Cr. Clifton Prescod/Netflix © 2025

Andrew Schulz, “Life” (Netflix)

It’s easy to be fooled into thinking Andrew Schulz is living his best life when he’s in the spotlight. But the stand-up comic and successful podcaster has been through his own share of problems too, like his and his wife’s efforts to have a baby. It was an ordeal that inspired a refreshingly honest core of his latest hour titled, simply, “Life,” which focused on struggles with conception, IVF and new fatherhood. Though 2025 was a year when his name was often linked to the manosphere led by Joe Rogan, Schulz’s special puts less effort into shock humor and any alt-right political agendas (though there is a touch of that here and there) as he leads with his personal story that shows a side to him as a parent that makes it not just funny, but also a compelling watch. (N.J.)

Our picks for this year’s best in arts and entertainment.

Sebastian Maniscalco, “It Ain’t Right” (Hulu)

In his seventh special, “It Ain’t Right,” Sebastian Maniscalco continues his streak as the Michael Jordan of disgruntled dad humor. As an arena-level act, the 51-year-old Chicago-bred comic still has the rubber-limbed athleticism and animated bravado that allows every one of his punchlines to be seen from space (or at least the cheap seats). But the over-the-top exaggeration he’s known for is always rooted in humility and shame — as with any good Italian. The infirmities of getting older are also a key source of laughter in this new hour, from the struggle of putting on socks, going to bed with sleep apnea or taking his family to the zoo. Like the title of the special, a lot of the stress Maniscalco continues to put up with as a superstar comic doesn’t seem right, but thankfully it’s still funny. (N.J.)

Bill Burr, “Drop Dead Years” (Hulu)

No one detonates a room with honesty and irritation quite like Bill Burr, and his latest, “Drop Dead Years,” shows the comedian in his fully evolved form. His rants remain forever epic as he talks about outlawing war, freedom of kids’ speech, social acceptance, (not) thinking positive and fake political empathy. He even turns inward, questioning his own need to be likable and empathetic. Burr may joke that he’s a broken man, but as fans would expect, he pieces it together beautifully in this special. (Ali Lerman)

Jordan Jensen, “Take Me With You” (Netflix)

Jordan Jensen’s comedy is hard to categorize, just like the rest of her. And while that’s generally how we like our funny people — layered, nuanced, tortured — it tends to wreak havoc on the actual lives of the comics themselves. Not quite fitting in a box (even though she definitely knows how to build one) has been Jensen’s shtick since birth. She grew up in upstate New York, raised in a heavy-construction family that included three lesbian moms and a dad who died when she was young. Because of that unconventional background, she says her level of hormone-fueled boy craziness mixed with her rugged ability to swing a hammer basically turned her into “a gay man.” Somewhere in her teens she entered a “fat mall goth” phase that she’s never left, even after becoming a popular comedian worthy of a Netflix special. Combining her inner Hot Topic teen with freak-flag feminism and alpha-male energy, her style makes not fitting in feel like one of the coolest things you can do — because it is. (N.J.)

Atsuko Okatsuka, “Father” (Hulu)

There were a lot of specials that came out this year, but only one featured a perfectly coiffed bowl haircut, because only Atsuko Okatsuka could pull it off. In her latest for Hulu, “Father,” Okatsuka makes a great case for codependency as she talks about living a tandem life with her husband Ryan, their choice not to have kids, the downside to having “a story,” and she also pulls back the pompoms on the dark side of cheerleading. Okatsuka’s movements are just as witty as her words, her energy is infectious, and “Father” is as refreshingly unpredictable as she is. (A.L.)

Gabriel Iglesias in a bright hawaiian shirt

Gabriel Iglesias, “Legend of Fluffy” (Netflix)

In the pantheon of stand-up comedy’s living legends, few names carry more weight than Fluffy‘s. In “Legend of Fluffy,” which premiered on Netflix in January, the comedian born Gabriel Iglesias takes fans through a giant retrospective of his career in comedy while zooming in on certain aspects of life: dating as a newly single man, trying to age gracefully, and a robbery that happened at his former home in Long Beach. It’s the type of special that is loud (just like his Hawaiian shirts) but also contains a positive message about refusing to give up on your dreams even in the face of obstacles, doubt or a near-death experience on a private jet. (N.J.)

Marc Maron, “Panicked” (HBO)

The L.A. comedy scene’s favorite curmudgeon is still finding the will to propel himself forward, hurtling over one existential crisis after another. Many of them come out in his latest HBO special, “Panicked,” where he zooms in on the indignities of not only growing old but finding ways to care for an aging dad whom he describes as “newly demented.” Between bits about being unlucky in love, we see flashes of pain held over from the death of his partner Lynn Shelton. But that vulnerability one might ordinarily save for therapy comes out in the form of genius, nonsensical segues to bits about rat poop under his house, Hitler’s fashion choices, the saving power of Taylor Swift and more from Maron’s endearing, hopelessly twisted psyche. (N.J.)

Nate Jackson, “Super Funny” (Netflix)

There’s a reason Nate Jackson’s debut Netflix special arrives during barbecue season. Perched on a stool under the spotlight at his shows, the comedian spends most of the evening delivering hospital-worthy third-degree burns to crowd members who want the smoke. Throughout his quick-witted hour of crowd work on “Super Funny,” Jackson finds a way to weave the stories of his random audience members together in a way that makes the whole show feel pre-planned. Meanwhile, even as Jackson is busy making fans the butt of his comedic freestyle, the person laughing the hardest in the crowd is usually the roastee. It’s the mark of good crowd work that’s not simply well done but, more important, done well. (N.J.)

Leanne Morgan, “Unspeakable Things” (Netflix)

Most comics are used to getting better with age but not necessarily bigger. Though she’s just turned 60 years old, one of comedian Leanne Morgan’s funniest jokes about herself is about just how big she’s gotten —not in terms of her career but her figure. It’s one of the first lines that escapes her mouth in her latest Netflix special, “Unspeakable Things.” But despite her jokes about not fitting into the typical Hollywood mold, it’s clear that Morgan’s life and career have certainly changed for the better since her hit 2023 Netflix debut, “I Am Every Woman.” As she grabbed the mic again for the streamer in 2025 — this time on a glitzy stage wearing a golden gown — her unvarnished style of storytelling shows us why she’s resonating with much of America. There’s just no substitute for a whip-smart Southern woman telling it like it is. (N.J.)

Iliza Shlesinger, “A Different Animal” (Prime Video)

Comedian Iliza Shlesinger takes the word “special” very seriously, and not just because she’s done a lot of them (seven). It’s because when she hits the stage, the goal is to leave a mark. In her latest, “A Different Animal,” Shlesinger dives into her evolution as a mother of two dealing with “mom brain” while proudly upholding her role as an elder millennial who can school Gen Z and Alpha newbies on what’s up with a mixture of wisdom, wit and wild animal noises. (N.J.)

Ralph Barbosa, “Planet Bosa” (Hulu)

Garnering nationwide buzz since his debut Netflix special “Cowabunga,” Ralph Barbosa has reached the top of his game in “Planet Bosa,” his latest hour on Hulu. Aside from getting more comfortable on stage, the 28-year-old exudes an energy in this new phase of his career that’s a welcome surprise from a guy whose packed schedule barely leaves time for sleep. The new special delves into his dating life, family woes as a young single dad and writing cleverly authentic jokes about the shocking ICE raids that have led to widespread detention and deportation of immigrants. (N.J.)

Jim Gaffigan, “Live From Old Forester” (YouTube)

Raise your glass to Jim Gaffigan for being THE pre-party for Thanksgiving with his latest offering, “Live From Old Forester: The Bourbon Set.” Dedicated to his love of the spirit, Gaffigan’s “passion project” is already at over 3 million views and is packed with bourbon history and facts, wacky bourbon names, and consumption stories that even someone who covets Fighting Cock over Blanton’s would connect with. And of course, between the mash bills and tasting notes, he still manages to slip in plenty of self-roasting. Gaffigan called this special “niche,” but the truth is, when he’s the symposiarch, “The Bourbon Set” is an oak barrel of straight-up laughs for the masses. (A.L.)

Steph Tolev, “Filth Queen” (Netflix)

Blunt, unapologetic, insanely funny and owning the crown of “Filth Queen,” Steph Tolev knocked it out of the smutty park with her first Netflix special. Produced by Bill Burr and filmed at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, her show rips through bodily functions, dating gone wrong and, spoiler, the messy truths about women. Her energy is next level, her confidence is all I want for Christmas, and no matter your gender, or if you’re holding in gas or not, Tolev is giving everyone (except maybe your parents) permission to laugh at the good, the bad and the hairy. (A.L.)

Cristela Alonzo, “Upper Classy”

In the third installment of the Texas comedian’s “Classy” trilogy (“Lower Classy” was in 2017, and “Middle Classy” in 2022), Alonzo definitely saved the most class for last. “Upper Classy,” her latest special, is by far her most vulnerable, which the comedian says is necessary, especially during this political moment when people like her are spoken about in the news, but not spoken to. She gives us her rags-to-riches story of growing up in an abandoned diner with her family, pairing that against her life now and enjoying the childhood she never had — and the ability to keep all her bills on autopay. After being taught to work hard in an immigrant household, Alonzo is learning how to live hard — and have fun — in her 40s (including taking swimming lessons). With her glow-up complete, Alonzo still makes it a point to rep her Mexican roots with pride. (N.J.)

Ali Siddiq, “Rugged” (YouTube)

Switching back and forth between high-energy and effortless cool, Ali Siddiq captivates as he shares (and acts out) insane family stories in “Rugged.” A master of storytelling, Siddiq talks about staying honest, teenagers and their antics, and getting mad about things that aren’t even happening, all while keeping each one of his bits hilarious to the end. Siddiq might not be the king in his own castle, but he’s certainly a king among comedians, and “Rugged” proved it this year. (Fun fact: Siddiq released two specials in 2025, the other being “My Two Sons,” which is equally as great and also on YouTube.) (A.L.)

Jim Norton, “Unconceivable” (YouTube)

Filmed at the Comedy Cellar in New York, Jim Norton’s newest hour, “Unconceivable,” explores everything from adjusting his life (and apartment) as a first-time husband to intimacy with his wife, Nikki, all while remaining brutally honest, dark and Norton to the core. Even listening to him explain the pressures and expectations that society places on strangers and their marriages — which should fully be serious — feels more like a comedy confessional rather than a set. He’s an industry veteran for good reason. His “Unconceivable” is as funny and as raw as it gets, proving once again that there’s no such thing as TMI when it’s delivered by the right comedian. (A.L.)

Jay Jurden, “Yes Ma’am” (Hulu)

In his first special, “Yes Ma’am, ”comedian and Mississippi native Jay Jurden burns verbal calories while showing the world why queer men from the South are often undefeated at being hilarious and relatable. Dependably lethal with his joke construction, Jurden’s every breath is laced with humor as he covers transphobia rules, emo rappers, traveling through blue dot cities, and fun stories with a dash of cuckoldry. His Southern background may have shaped his stories, but it’s Jurden’s hilarious and frank honesty that make “Yes Ma’am” a “hell yes, ma’am!” for 2025. And that million-dollar smile doesn’t hurt either. (A.L.)

Rosebud Baker, “The Mother Lode” (Netflix)

Life-altering in the sincerest sense of the word, “The Mother Lode” comedically chronicles Rosebud Baker’s journey into motherhood, in real time. Skilled at mining laughs from life’s toughest situations and with her internal dumpster fire front and center, Baker goes from resisting parenthood to IVF, miscarriages, discussing parenting styles and questioning her own identity. Filmed and edited superbly with the same version of a joke, pre- and post-pregnancy, Baker truly did hit the mother lode giving birth to this special that now gets to live with its other mama, Netflix. (A.L.)

Ken Flores, “LOL Live With Ken Flores”

This year, the comedy world lost one of its biggest up-and-coming voices with the death of Ken Flores at age 28. Migrating from the Chicago stand-up scene to L.A., the loud comic made his presence known with raw, street-wise style, a diamond grill that made crowds smile before he even told a joke. Weight-related humor aside, Flores was undoubtedly one of the heavies in the local stand-up scene, and this half-hour comic assault is a time capsule of what could have been with this rising talent who left us too soon. (N.J.)

Bert Kreischer, “Lucky” (Netflix)

Bert Kreischer resumes his shirtless razzle-dazzle and talent for hilarious, heartfelt storytelling in his special “Lucky,” inspired by his constant state of identifying the luck in his life. Most of that luck, let’s be honest, is actually the result of being married to his wife, LeAnn, who keeps him from going over the edge with his antics. If you’re into his brand of bare-chested misadventures, you will get plenty of that. But the heart of this latest hour doesn’t really show up until Kreischer’s moving tribute to his family’s dog, which will leave you laughing and crying right along with him. (N.J.)

Comedian CP, “Sunday After Six” (Veeps)

Chris Price, a.k.a. comedian CP, is a killer on the mic. Whether he’s hosting or headlining, comedy fans who’ve seen him perform know that his dragon-style delivery mixed with creative storytelling breathes fire onto any stage. His debut special, “Sunday After Six” puts all of his skills firmly on display in a way that will hopefully lead to our seeing more of him on the screen next year. (N.J.)

Trae Crowder, “Liberal Redneck” (YouTube)

Don’t judge a comedian by his accent, especially if it’s Trae Crowder. Though the Tennessee-born comedian describes his voice as having more Southern twang than “a racist banjo,” it takes him less than two minutes onstage to show why he’s known as “the Liberal Redneck.” Whether it’s punchlines skewering white supremacists or viral video rants about the Trump era filmed from the front seat of his sun-damaged Jeep, Crowder’s brand of comedy is a mind-melting combination that never minces words about where he stands on major topics related to America. His latest special, “Trash Daddy” — released on YouTube via comedy platform 800 Pound Gorilla — swerves among jokes about politics, family and living life as a hick from the sticks while trying to raise California-bred children. (N.J.)

Phoebe Robinson, “I Don’t Want to Work Anymore” (YouTube)
Phoebe Robinson’s new comedy special dismantles girl-boss culture, questioning whether financial independence and constant achievement actually lead to women’s happiness. “I Don’t Want to Work Anymore” tackles modern dating, aging and the exhausting pressure to constantly create content. The 41-year-old comedian now prioritizes rest, boundaries and authentic work over relentless productivity and the need for external validation. (N.J.)

Tim Dillon, “I’m Your Mother” (Netflix)

Taped at the Comedy Mothership in Austin, Texas, “I’m Your Mother” is Tim Dillon doing what he does best, showering us with the confidence of a man who’s absolutely done pretending things make sense. From America’s never-ending identity crisis and celebrity worship to his own royal worship and to what parenting seems like from his view, he breaks down the world’s nonsense with the energy of someone who’s seen some s— and isn’t impressed. “I’m Your Mother” isn’t guidance, it’s a verbal smackdown wrapped in laughter that’s unremorseful and so well written, Tim Dillon is now our mother. (A.L.)

Kathleen Madigan, “The Family Thread” (Prime Video)

Kathleen Madigan’s “The Family Thread” gifts us an hour built on the everyday chaos and wry Midwestern sensibility that define her comedy. From absurd family group texts to aging parents and small-town quirks that feel instantly recognizable, she never fails to turn the frustrations of life into sarcastically sharp punchlines. “The Family Thread” is a master class on why Madigan has kept people entertained for years with nothing more than honesty and outstanding storytelling. (A.L.)

Mike Vecchione, “Low Income White” (YouTube)

Making a second special funnier than the first is effortless for Mike Vecchione, and “Low Income White” serves as an even sharper follow-up to his debut special, “The Attractives,” both produced by Nate Bargatze. Vecchione’s deadpan style and constant misdirection are on full display as he talks about age gaps, magic doctors and the reality of marital vows, piling on joke after sarcastic joke. (A.L.)

Ian Edwards, “Untitled” (YouTube)

Ian Edwards fires off rapid-paced jokes throughout his latest special, “Untitled.” At the Comedy Store in La Jolla, Edwards’ comfort onstage (in a onesie, no less) is in plain view as he riffs on relationships, confusing albinos, problematic travel, rooting for the wrong side of current events, and the many layers of racism in green-bubble texts. “Untitled” is a straight shot into the mind of Ian Edwards, and if you’ve slept on this special, there’s still time to fix that. (A.L.)

Ryan Sickler, “Live & Alive” (YouTube)

Ryan Sickler turned thick blood into sweet wine this year with his new special “Live & Alive.” His trademark candor (and giggle) drives the hour as he plays tour guide through a traumatic hospital stay that nearly became his last — plenty of morbid humor to go around in this hour. His survival is his own setup and punchline as he pulls you into embarrassing bits at his own expense. And every twist and ridiculous turn leaves you grateful he’s still around to tell the story while being “Live & Alive.” (A.L.)

Chinedu Unaka, “LOL Live With Chinedu Unaka” (Hulu)

For over a decade, L.A.-bred comedian Chinedu Unaka’s passion-driven work as a special education teacher would become the day job that both funded his dream and gave him the tools to achieve it as he held the attention of kids with ADHD while making them learn while laughing. Coming at comedy from the lens of a charismatic instructor with a Nigerian American background, Unaka’s quick wit and dry humor about life, relationships and his immigrant parents are on full display in his latest special. (N.J.)

Woman sitting in a chair with shadows in background

Cameron Esposito, “4 Pills” (DropOut)

A lot of comedy specials are made for us to sit and laugh at a comedian’s funny thoughts. In her latest special, Cameron Esposito wants to take things a step further by giving you a look inside her brain. As a person diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 40, her mind offers a lot to unpack. But the goal remains the same as any special: to laugh at something we feel like we’re not supposed to, only to realize we can relate to a person’s struggles more than we think. In her latest hour, “Four Pills,” Esposito has honed a fresh perspective on living with bipolar disorder that forced her to take her 20 years of stand-up to the next level by bringing fans into the deepest part of her world for the first time. (N.J.)

Samantha Hale, “Horror Nerd” (Apple TV/ Prime Video)

Only Samantha Hale, raised in Los Angeles on “Top Ramen and fear,” could make hair-raising terror this funny. Her long-running show, “Horror Nerd,” jumps from the Hollywood Improv stage to the screen as she nostalgically riffs on serial killers, the healing power of stabby movies, and turns genre obsessions, cult-classic fandom and online feedback into an unbroken chain of laugh-out-loud brilliance. No topic is too strange or scary as she turns her passions and life’s oddities into “Horror Nerd,” a must-watch for anyone who loves humor one (bloody) bite at a time. (A.L.)

Jiaoying Summers, “What Specie Are You?” (Hulu)

Jiaoying Summers is a single mom and a comedian, and somehow she killed it in her first stand-up hour, “What Specie Are You?” on Hulu. Summers swings from dating after divorce and discovering her identity as an immigrant, to choosing favorites between her kids and breaking down an “Asian hate system” that’s so deadpan it almost feels reasonable. Blaming her lack of a filter on her Chinese upbringing, she will have you dying laughing one minute and feeling personally attacked the next. And that works. (A.L.)

Movie Reviews

Movie Review: ‘Sacred Heart: His Reign Has No End’ – Catholic Review

Published

7 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

Movie Review: ‘Sacred Heart: His Reign Has No End’ – Catholic Review

NEW YORK (OSV News) – As America’s Catholic bishops prepare to mark the semiquincentennial by consecrating the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a French docudrama that can aid viewers in understanding the full significance of such an action makes its timely appearance.

A Fathom Entertainment presentation, “Sacred Heart: His Reign Has No End” will have a limited theatrical run June 9-11 and June 14. The version screening on June 10 will be dubbed in Spanish.

Following its initial release in France last fall, the film proved to be phenomenally popular, with ticket sales reaching the half-million mark in a country usually regarded as deeply secular. This unusual development clearly indicates that the movie resonated with audiences in a way that even its creators may not have expected.

Filmmakers Sabrina and Steven J. Gunnell examine the origins, meaning and enduring relevance of devotion to the Sacred Heart. They begin their exploration even before the landmark revelations received in the 1670s by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Burgundian Visitation nun, showing that earlier saints had focused on the subject in medieval times.

Using reenactments, interviews and archival images, the Gunnells also highlight the theological connection between the Sacred Heart and the Eucharist. This is done, in part, by recounting a few of the many Eucharistic miracles granted to the Church over the centuries.

By profiling contemporary devotees of the Sacred Heart, including formerly inactive Catholics, the picture demonstrates the impact the insights given to St. Margaret Mary continue to have on the lives of people around the world. Locations visited range from the gang-infested streets of a Parisian suburb to the once war-torn Central American country of El Salvador.

An excellent and enjoyable catechetical resource, the feature is also both moving and uplifting. It can be recommended for all but the youngest kids.

For theater locations and showtimes, go to: sacredheartfilm.us

Dubbed into English.

The film contains gory images of the Crucifixion. The OSV News classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association.

Two of music’s most powerful executives maxed out donations to Spencer Pratt

Published

9 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

Two of music’s most powerful executives maxed out donations to Spencer Pratt

According to data from the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, Pratt’s supporters include two members of the record industry’s most powerful family who have donated the maximum amount allowed by law.

Los Angeles’ music industry, in recent years, has generally supported progressive causes. But as the primaries for the city’s mayoral race and California‘s governorship wrapped up Tuesday, some music executives and performers have supported and donated large amounts to Spencer Pratt, the right-leaning activist and reality TV star running for mayor.

According to data from the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, Pratt’s supporters include two members of the record industry’s most powerful family who donated the maximum amount allowed by law.

Pratt is a registered Republican whose heated rhetoric about homeless “zombies” and AI-created advertisements have rankled progressives and delighted conservatives. He has received support from President Trump, who told reporters that “I’d like to see him do well. He’s a character. I don’t know him, I assume he probably supports me… I heard he’s a big MAGA person.”

In response, Pratt told TMZ that “Everybody wants me to succeed because L.A. is the most important city in the country. The only support I need is from moms that wanna feel safe in Los Angeles. I’m laser-focused on that.”

Universal Music Group is home to some of music’s most outspoken progressives, including Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish, whose brother and collaborator Finneas O’Connell donated $250 to the progressive mayoral candidate Nithya Raman on May 6.

Earlier this year, UMG’s chairman and chief executive Lucian Grainge presented Rodrigo with the company’s Universal Music Group x REVERB Amplifier Award, which advocates for “social and environmental nonprofit campaigns through the cultural power of music,” according to a release.

On May 9, Grainge (listed as a resident of Pacific Palisades, where Pratt lost his home in the 2025 fires) maxed out with an $1,800 donation to Pratt’s campaign, as previously reported in The Times. A representative for UMG did not immediately return a request for comment on Grainge’s donation.

He’s not the only Pratt donor in the family.

Grainge’s son Elliot ascended through the record industry with his 10k Projects label, and now heads UMG’s competitor Atlantic Records. Vocal progressives like Cardi B, the Marías and Charli XCX are some of the label’s most high-profile acts.

On May 8, Elliot Grainge also gave $1,800 to Pratt‘s campaign. A representative for Atlantic did not immediately return a request for comment.

Last month, the record producer and composing titan David Foster and his wife, singer Katharine McPhee, performed at a fundraiser for Pratt where they crooned a version of Tina Turner’s hit “The Best” to the mayoral hopeful. “Spencer, you’re simply the best. Better than all the rest. Better than Karen Bass and Nithya Raman,” McPhee sang.

At Warner Music, Gabz Landman, the senior vice president for A&R at Warner Chappell, its powerful music publishing wing, who has worked with Dua Lipa, Laufey and Amy Allen, gave $105.24 to Pratt on Feb. 4. Through a Warner Music representative, Landman said the donation was for merchandise given to a friend, and was not intended as support for Pratt’s campaign.

The superstar EDM producer and DJ Kaskade has left supportive messages on Pratt’s social media, commenting on one of the candidate’s posts that “At this point, who is buying in to Bass’s fairytale narrative?! I am still shocked she hasn’t resigned!” The DJ and producer Diplo also left a supportive comment — a prayer-hands emoji and “please” — on one of Pratt’s social media posts. Records do not show any personal donations to Pratt’s campaign from either artist.

Public records do not show any donations to Pratt’s campaign from live-industry executives atop firms like Live Nation, AEG or Goldenvoice.

Movie Reviews

Masters of the Universe (2026) | Movie Review | Deep Focus Review

Published

18 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Press Room

Masters of the Universe (2026) | Movie Review | Deep Focus Review

There’s a photo of me (below) from the mid-1980s, when I was around age 5, standing on the hood of an old Plymouth in the overgrown field behind my childhood home. I’m holding He-Man’s shield in one hand and his sword, made of yellow plastic, in the other. (Unrelatedly, I’m also wearing an Incredible Hulk shirt in the picture.) And I’m grinning with pride because I have thoroughly conquered the jalopy. The vehicle never ran again, probably because I fucking destroyed it with my sword and shield. Around that time, I also had a He-Man birthday cake and a sizable collection of Mattel’s Masters of the Universe action figures. They were my first foray into toys of this kind, later replaced by G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and X-Men. However, my nostalgia for He-Man remains almost nonexistent today, perhaps because, looking back at the material, the mythology remains at once weird and unmemorable, and neither the popular animated series nor the 1987 film, Masters of the Universe, starring Dolph Lundgren and Frank Langella, holds up well.

Over the years, Mattel has tried to revive the toy line and cartoon, but the company’s biggest effort thus far is the new feature from Amazon MGM Studios, which reportedly spent upwards of $200 million on a blockbuster-sized Masters of the Universe. If the 1980s versions of this franchise unabashedly targeted the preadolescent boy demographic, the new iteration has been reconfigured (by a sausage fest of credited screenwriters: Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, and David Callaham) to adopt a more conventional mold. The movie also incorporates the last three decades of ironic reassessment: the series’ very 1980s obsession with bulging muscles; the loincloth-centric costumes, all of which look like rejected designs from Zardoz (1974); the vague eroticism between He-Man and several characters, including his nemesis, Skeletor; and the eccentricities of the cartoon, from the many heads thrown back in laughter to the bizarre characters—all of which started first as action figures (Stinkor, Mantenna, etc.), around which the writers built a lame storyline.

Despite its origins, Masters of the Universe sets out to become a four-quadrant feature, appealing to everyone, and in that, no one in particular. The story is too bloated for little children, with a 142-minute runtime that challenged the attention spans of the kids in my prescreening, who became restless after an hour. Admittedly, so did I. The material’s self-awareness and humor aren’t memorable enough to distinguish it from other, better examples in this genre, such as Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)—a movie that I enjoy more with each subsequent viewing. And director Travis Knight can’t decide whether the audience should take these characters seriously or laugh at their inherent silliness. He attempts both and does neither very well. The result did not rekindle my nostalgia for this chapter of my childhood; it didn’t create an exciting new take for audiences of all ages, either.

A protracted opening establishes the distant realm called Eternia, where sword-and-sandal heroes stand alongside robots and flying ships with laser guns. Eternia’s resident baddie, Skeletor (voiced by Jared Leto, doing an R-rolling master-thespian thing), wants the Sword of Power, which imbues its wielder with, as you might guess, power. But it’s kept in Castle Grayskull, home of King Randor (James Purefoy), who’s disappointed by his son, Adam (Artie Wilkinson-Hunt), a young boy more interested in goofing around than learning to fight. When Skeletor attacks the castle and proves victorious, the Enchantress (Morena Baccarin), the magically inclined protector of Grayskull, sends Adam away to Earth along with the coveted sword. What happens then? Did a couple of farmers adopt him à la Superman? Or did he grow up in the foster system? The writers ignore such practical questions, picking up the story years later, when the adult Adam (now a hulking Nicholas Galitzine) works in corporate human resources. After Adam finally locates his sword, which was lost when he was transported from Eternia to Earth, he eventually finds his way home with the help of his childhood friend, Teela (Camila Mendes), to retake Grayskull from Skeletor.

Knight’s main source of inspiration, besides the cartoon and earlier movie, seems to be the similarly themed cult classic Flash Gordon (1980). Masters of the Universe’s music features identical-sounding Howard Blake-style guitar riffs and, to echo the original songs Queen wrote for Flash Gordon, the production uses Queen’s “Princes of the Universe” on the soundtrack. In other areas, Knight directs a conventional franchise movie with choppily edited and CGI-heavy battle scenes full of anonymous violence, lifeless chase sequences, digital backdrops resembling video-game environments, and shameless product placements for Coca-Cola and Amazon. The VFX sometimes look impressive; at other times, they look cheap and generic. Fortunately, Knight’s production also offers practical effects and prosthetics for some characters, most memorably the cyborg Trap Jaw. Knight’s secret weapon is costume designer Richard Sale, who visualizes the inherently absurd look of these characters, for better or worse, in tangible garb. The actors inhabiting the excellent costumes don’t have much to do, though. Ask yourself why they hired Kristen Wiig to voice Roboto, a bland robot character whose dialogue could have easily been performed by anyone else, or even just replaced with the beeps and boops of a Star Wars droid. When you have Kristen Wiig, use her.

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Elsewhere, Masters of the Universe attempts to be self-aware in its irony and sexually suggestive underpinnings. There’s a running gag about how practically everyone can’t keep their eyes off Adam after he becomes his heroic alter-ego, He-Man, given his oiled-up muscles and blonde locks. But under Adam’s pink shirt, he still looks buff, making his eventual Hulk-like transformation into a muscle-bound barbarian unremarkable. Elsewhere, I liked the detail of Adam growing up on Earth and forgetting everyone’s names on Eternia, so he makes up their names based on their physical characteristics. A man with a big metal hand becomes Fisto (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson), and another with a metal head-butting helmet becomes Ram-Man (Jon Xue Zhang). The writers take advantage of this with veiled dirty jokes about fisting and Ram-Man “giving head” to Skeletor’s goons. That’s about as clever as the movie gets. As for character development, there’s almost none. Skeletor, for instance, wants to be bad for the sake of being bad. His motivations are nonexistent, resulting in an obvious, uninteresting, and one-dimensional villain.

A key series in the conservative, Reagan-era 1980s, the Masters of the Universe cartoon and previous movie valued strength and power, muscles and might. Today, that message has negative, regressive associations with the political right, which often looks at this period from a fond standpoint. To avoid alienating any part of their audience, the filmmakers desperately try to please everyone with a mild progressive commentary to counter the franchise’s original themes. Adam’s character must learn to “be a man” to please his father, King Randor, and his makeshift father figure, Man-at-Arms (Idris Elba, in a chummy reformed drunk role). But there’s also a half-hearted message that Adam, having worked in human resources, knows the value of empathy and emotional intelligence. For a while there, the movie even claims you can’t solve every problem with muscles—that is, until He-Man resolves the conflict by pummeling Skeletor with his fists. The movie’s message is ultimately nonexistent. The committee making this movie has carefully avoided any line-in-the-sand worldview, all in an attempt to manufacture a box-office hit that will please everyone and offend no one.

That’s exactly the problem with Masters of the Universe. It’s so afraid to have a perspective or be about something that nothing onscreen has an impact. This is not to say every movie must have a substantive message. Sometimes, a mindless adventure is enough. However, even on those terms, there’s no tension or danger here because Skeletor is never all that menacing, and Adam alternates between self-parody and earnest heroism. None of the emotional beats land, not the many father-son dynamics nor the hero’s journey. And the production’s competing tones, from its intentional camp to its sword-swinging adventure, lack the balance of wit and scope that Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves so delightfully captured. For much of the runtime, I felt bored and, aside from a few chuckles at the childish humor, disengaged from everything happening. Perhaps Roboto describes the movie best when referring to life as “a series of absurdities leading to infinite nothingness.”

Photo: Brian the Barbarian

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