Alongside settings like Castle Grayskull and Eternia, the newly released “Masters of the Universe” movie also drops the name of a location more relatable to Arizona residents: Sedona.

Known for its majestic red rocks, outdoor recreation and a singular McDonalds with turquoise arches (which recently inspired a new shoe from Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker), Sedona is a roughly two-hour drive from Phoenix. And while its humorous mention in “Masters of the Universe” is the scenic community’s latest cinematic connection, it has been the actual backdrop for more than 100 films, including the 1947 John Wayne vehicle “Angel and the Badman,” the groundbreaking 1950 feature “Broken Arrow,” directed by Delmer Daves and starring James Stewart, and the cult revisionist Western “Johnny Guitar” (1954), directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden and Mercedes McCambridge.

But as a scene involving Prince Adam and his skeptical date suggests, its picturesque qualities may not compare to the fantastic features of Eternos.  

Based on a Mattel toy line introduced in 1982, “Masters of the Universe” evolved into a comic book series, an animated show running for 130 episodes and spawned numerous spin-off efforts before it received its first big-screen treatment in 1987, a live-action movie produced by Cannon Films, directed by Gary Goddard and starring Dolph Lundgren in the central role of He-Man. Fans of the franchise’s earliest iterations, as well as the original movie, will find abundant points of reference in this latest offering, from famous phrases and cameos to familiar characters like Skeletor, Man-At-Arms, Teela and, yes, even Fisto.

Combining contemporary action and humor with throwback whimsy, “Masters of the Universe” stars Nicholas Galitzine (as Adam/He-Man), Idris Elba and Jared Leto. Directed by Travis Andrew Knight, who helmed the similarly nostalgic 2018 Transformers film “Bumblebee,” it is now playing in theaters Valley-wide.