Amazon’s new Masters of the Universe film quietly nods to an unlikely piece of internet history: the viral He‑Man parody known to many as HEYYEYAAEYAAAEYAEYAA. Director Travis Knight confirmed the movie not only references the meme but also uses the 4 Non Blondes track that soundtracked the clip — a creative choice meant to feel organic to the story rather than a throwaway joke.
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The meme began as a fan edit that repurposed footage from the 1980s cartoon with a tongue‑in‑cheek musical backing. A pared‑down upload later circulated widely online and, over the past decade, became a touchstone for people who discovered He‑Man through internet culture rather than the original TV series.
Knight told TechRadar he wanted any callbacks to land naturally. He and the production negotiated rights to include 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up?” and placed it deliberately so it contributes to tone and scene rather than functioning as a mere Easter egg.
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That restraint extends to other nods to the source material: the film contains small, recognizable gestures from the cartoon — brief beats that long‑time fans will catch — but Knight deliberately avoided saturating the movie with references so it remains accessible to newcomers.
- Origin: A mid‑2000s fan edit using He‑Man footage was trimmed and reposted later, becoming the widely shared meme.
- Soundtrack: The film uses 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up?” in a scene where its inclusion is intended to make narrative sense.
- Reach: By early June the shortened viral clip had accumulated more than 229 million views on the most popular upload.
- Creative approach: Knight balanced fan service with broader storytelling, adding recognizable moments without relying on nostalgia alone.
- Release timing: Masters of the Universe opens in the UK on June 3 and reaches other territories on June 5.
Why this matters now: the choice to weave a well‑known meme and its signature song into a major studio reboot speaks to how mainstream entertainment is increasingly mining internet culture for shared reference points. For younger audiences, that meme may be their most familiar entry point to the franchise; for older fans, it’s a deliberate nod to a piece of fan creativity that helped keep He‑Man visible between official releases.
There are broader implications for filmmakers and rights holders. Securing a recognizable song tied to a viral clip requires negotiation and intention; its presence in a tentpole release signals that studios see value in validating fan communities while also courting new viewers who encounter the characters online.
Knight framed the approach as a balancing act — honoring different generations’ ways into the mythos without letting callbacks overpower the film’s emotional core. As he put it, long‑term followers will spot familiar flourishes, while newcomers should find the film “accessible, entertaining and emotional.”
Expect more reaction once full reviews circulate this week; TechRadar will publish a review shortly after the film’s opening. In the meantime, the inclusion of a viral internet moment inside a high‑profile reboot is a reminder of how digital culture continues to shape mainstream storytelling.
Jessica Morrison is a seasoned entertainment writer with over a decade of experience covering television, film, and pop culture. After earning a degree in journalism from New York University, she worked as a freelance writer for various entertainment magazines before joining red94.net. Her expertise lies in analyzing television series, from groundbreaking dramas to light-hearted comedies, and she often provides in-depth reviews and industry insights. Outside of writing, Jessica is an avid film buff and enjoys discovering new indie movies at local festivals.