Jared Leto has stayed off the Masters of the Universe promotion campaign, skipping the Los Angeles premiere last Monday and missing the press junkets as the film heads toward its June 5 theatrical release. He plays Skeletor, the movie’s big bad, but the face attached to one of its most recognizable roles has not been out selling it.
That absence is drawing attention now because Masters of the Universe is entering its final push with early box office tracking in the $25 million to $35 million range against a reported $175 million production budget. While the rest of the cast has been out front with Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, Morena Baccarin and Idris Elba, Leto has not posted about the movie on social media even though he remains active on Instagram otherwise.
A report via ComingSoon from Puck News said Leto was not thrilled with Masters of the Universe, and that line of reporting has become the easiest explanation for why he has kept his distance. Amazon has also reportedly been downplaying his involvement, even as the studio pushes a campaign for a film that is getting positive first reactions and has been described by viewers as a colossally epic time and a hell of a lot of fun.
The gap between the praise and Leto’s silence is what makes the story linger. He is not just any supporting player; he is the actor playing Skeletor, a character whose makeup and design keep his face somewhat hidden, which softens the marketing value of his name compared with a project like Tron: Ares. That earlier film opened with $33 million and went on to $142 million worldwide against a $220 million budget, a reminder that a flashy launch does not always translate into the kind of box office a studio wants.
There is another reason the studio may be careful. Leto was accused of sexual impropriety in June of last year, with reporting allegations that included flirting with teenagers and predatory behavior. None of that has been tied to the movie itself, but it helps explain why Amazon MGM Studios would rather keep the focus on the ensemble and the early buzz than on the actor playing its villain.
Masters of the Universe opens June 5, and the next question is not whether Leto will turn up now, but whether the film can keep momentum without him. For the moment, the campaign is moving ahead with everyone but Skeletor front and center.
