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Masters of the Universe Tops Nielsen Streaming Chart After Box‑Office Shortfall

Its surge in first-week streaming minutes raises fresh questions about whether platform viewership can offset weak theatrical revenue.

Overview

  • The film logged roughly 1.17 billion minutes of streaming for the Nielsen week of July 20–26, making it the most‑watched title across all platforms for that period.
  • The film, which moved to Prime Video on July 22, reached that total in fewer days and the minutes convert to about 8.4 million full‑viewing equivalents based on a roughly 140‑minute runtime.
  • Masters of the Universe grossed about $114 million worldwide against an estimated $170 million production budget, a performance widely described as a box‑office flop.
  • Amazon MGM and studio executives framed the quick theatrical‑to‑streaming window as a deliberate, 'holistic distribution' strategy, and strong streaming numbers have prompted discussion of a possible sequel but no greenlight has been announced.
  • The case is renewing industry debate over distribution choices and measurement: studios say large streaming audiences can salvage expensive projects, while theater owners warn that platform-first moves change how films are financed and released.