Camila Mendes Turned to Rey in The Force Awakens to Power Up Teela in Masters of the Universe
Channeling Rey from Star Wars, Camila Mendes forges a fierce Teela as Masters of the Universe powers to a $54M global opening.
Teela is back on the big screen, not as a museum piece from the 80s but as a full-on, modern warrior. And Camila Mendes says she built her take on the character with a surprising north star: Rey from Star Wars. Honestly, it tracks.
Why Teela has a little Rey in her
In a chat with ComicBook.com while promoting Masters of the Universe, Mendes said she zeroed in on Daisy Ridley ’s performance to shape Teela’s independence and presence. Her read: both characters are self-sufficient fighters who carry a lot on their own shoulders, and they do it with a kind of quiet authority rather than chest-thumping heroics.
"I feel like I was a little inspired by Daisy Ridley’s performance in Star Wars."
"She’s kind of on her own, and how she carried that."
That last bit is the key. Mendes wasn’t just chasing lightsaber swagger. She studied how Ridley played leadership under pressure — how Rey stands, moves, and talks when she knows the room is looking to her. Mendes wanted that same grounded, self-reliant vibe in Teela’s stance, voice, and overall presence.
Who Teela is this time around
If you’re rusty on Eternian lore: Teela is the Captain of the Royal Guard, longtime confidant (and occasional almost-something) to Prince Adam, and one of the franchise ’s steadiest hands. She’s always been defined by fierce combat chops, loyalty, and a built-in leadership gene. Mendes is leaning into all of that — just with a sharper focus on Teela operating on her own terms instead of orbiting Adam.
The movie side of it
Masters of the Universe is an Amazon/MGM Studios and Mattel Films release, directed by Travis Knight, and it opened in 3,677 theaters in the U.S. The cast is a mix of legacy names and ringers: Nicholas Galitzine plays Prince Adam, Camila Mendes is Teela, Jared Leto is Skeletor, Idris Elba is Man-at-Arms, and Alison Brie is Evil-Lyn.
Box office snapshot
- Domestic opening: $29.3 million (3rd place in North America)
- International opening: about $25 million
- Worldwide opening: roughly $54.3 million (2nd place globally, behind Scary Movie 6)
- Budget: near $200 million
- Scores: Metacritic 54, CinemaScore B
- Audience makeup: 66% male, 34% female; biggest turnout was ages 45–54 at 29% (the nostalgia crowd showed up)
So it didn’t crush the domestic chart, but it posted a respectable start for a brand that has been rebooted more times than Skeletor has monologued. The studio is treating it like a solid first step: Kevin Wilson, who oversees domestic theatrical distribution, framed the opening as validating. If the overseas play keeps pace and the fanbase keeps feeding weekends two and three, it could leg out better than those mid-50s reviews suggest.
The bottom line on the Rey of it all
Mendes borrowing from Ridley is a smart swing. Teela has always been a leader, but putting the emphasis on self-reliance — the way you carry responsibility without making a speech about it — feels right for a 2026 version. If the movie keeps building word of mouth and the performance lands the way Mendes describes, Teela might end up the not-so-secret weapon of this revival.
Thoughts on Mendes channeling Rey for Teela? Drop them below.