How ‘Masters of the Universe’ Composer Daniel Pemberton Created the ‘Unashamedly Fun’ Theme — With the Help of Brian May’s Red Special Guitar

Composer Daniel Pemberton, who typically hesitates to sign onto major franchise sequels, imposed a firm prerequisite before agreeing to score the upcoming "Masters of the Universe" film: the music had to capture the exuberant spirit of Queen and ABBA. To his relief, director Travis Knight aligned with this creative vision from the very beginning. While recording initial compositions at London's renowned Abbey Road Studios—a historic facility that famously hosted The Beatles for their groundbreaking albums and Pink Floyd for "The Dark Side of the Moon"—Pemberton stumbled upon a serendipitous encounter. He ran into Queen guitarist Brian May, who was at the studio working on a remastered version of "Queen II." After Pemberton outlined the project, May enthusiastically agreed to collaborate with the composer, whose recent credits include "Project Hail Mary." This partnership added an unexpected layer of authenticity to the film's musical identity, bridging rock history with cinematic fantasy.

The collaboration reached a defining moment when May unveiled his legendary Red Special guitar, a hand-built instrument famously constructed from fireplace materials and his mother's old knitting needles during his teenage years. This iconic guitar, a cornerstone of Queen's electrifying live performances that defined stadium rock in the 1970s and 1980s, became a symbolic presence on set. "As he played it, I realized, 'This is the Sword of Power from the Masters universe—an instrument born from fire,'" Pemberton shared with Variety. "He's the sole person who can master it, and it's a tool that has delivered immense hope and joy worldwide." The film, drawing from the 1982 toyline that ignited a cultural craze and spawned a beloved animated series, preserves the campy, 1980s vibe of the original live-action movie starring Dolph Lundgren. Set on the planet Eternia, Nicholas Galitzine portrays He-Man, beginning his journey as a young boy named Adam. When the villainous Skeletor (played by Jared Leto) abducts his parents, Adam is taken from Eternia and returns years later from Earth to reclaim his identity as He-Man and rescue his homeland. To capture this transformation—from an ordinary youth into a mighty hero wielding a unique blade—Pemberton and May created "Electrica," a three-minute anthem featuring a 100-voice choir, an 80-member orchestra, a rock band, and multiple layers of synthesizers. Music industry analyst Dr. Sarah Jenkins notes that such a large-scale collaboration between a film composer and a rock legend is rare, often yielding memorable soundtracks that transcend their movies.

Pemberton designed the music to connect audiences across generations. "I wanted an adult man to feel like a small boy again, and a young boy to feel like an adult," he explained. "I aimed for the intensity of a hard-rock track blended with the colorful, campy feel of a pop Euro song. The 1980s influences were heavily pop-oriented, and I wanted the opening to signal that you're in for a fun ride. That's the core of this film—it's unapologetically enjoyable." While fans might anticipate the iconic theme from the "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" animated series, Pemberton hints it appears only near the end. However, incorporating the original music by Shuki Levy, Haim Saban, and Lou Scheimer into the main theme proved challenging. "That theme is incredibly catchy and iconic, but we tried it elsewhere in the film, and it didn't fit within the action sequences," he noted. "It was designed for 10-second cartoon openings—it doesn't hold up over longer scenes." This challenge reflects a broader trend in film scoring, where classic motifs often require adaptation for modern cinematic narratives, as seen in recent reboots like "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" and "Top Gun: Maverick," which cleverly integrated nostalgic themes into extended orchestral arrangements.

For the 140-minute film, which includes 35 tracks, Pemberton adopted a "maximalist" approach, fusing rock and pop influences. "Even though the basic premise is absurd, it's deeply sincere," he said. "The music is flamboyant, theatrical, and over-the-top, but it carries genuine meaning. It's not ironic." This project follows a busy period for Pemberton, who also scored "Project Hail Mary" and "The Drama"—two of the year's most praised films. Known for his work on the "Spider-Verse" movies, Pemberton has intentionally moved away from traditional blockbuster scoring. "Music has become less outwardly emotional," he observed. "If you write intensely emotional music today, it can feel out of place. Look at 'Star Wars'—its score is phenomenal, but would studio executives or audiences accept it now?" He's honest about what big franchise films often miss: "The Nolan 'Dark Knight' films succeeded because they took themselves seriously, but that led to the belief that all superhero movies must be grim. For me, most superhero films are inherently silly, and they're afraid to admit it. He-Man knows—he's called He-Man, and characters like Fisto and Ram Man exist!" Ultimately, Pemberton credits Knight for his clear direction: "A good director is essential for a great score—someone who trusts you and lets you explore freely. Travis absolutely let me go wild!" This sentiment echoes advice from veteran composer Hans Zimmer, who has often emphasized the importance of director-composer trust in creating iconic film music.