Now that Amazon’s Transparent is preparing for its final bow, series creator Jill Soloway is headed to write and direct Millennium Films’ adaptation of Red Sonja. In a new interview with Deadline, Soloway is officially breaking their silence on the upcoming film, and comparing it to some pretty significant entries in the comic book movie world. As they put it, the goal is to adapt the titular heroine in a complex and interesting way, and not just portray her as a sort of cookie-cutter female character.
Videos by ComicBook.com
“I can really have so much fun with Red Sonja,” Soloway revealed. “I see her a little bit more like the first kind of bad girl superhero. Sort of like the Batman of The Dark Knight or Deadpool, you know? The world is changing so much right now for superheroes, that I just really look forward to not only going to the edge of what I’ve ever written and directed before, but to the edge of the genre as well.”
Soloway was brought on to the project earlier this year, after significant backlash surrounding director Bryan Singer’s previous ties to the film. Many argued that it was not appropriate for Red Sonja’s backstory – which is regularly tied to her rape at the hands of a mercenary – to be handled by Singer, who has multiple sexual assault and misconduct allegations against him.
While there’s no telling at this point exactly how Soloway’s Red Sonja will adapt the iconic heroine, they have expressed excitement in exploring the complex layers to femininity within the film.
“I can’t wait. I’m super excited.” Soloway explained. “I get to write it as well, which is really a dream come true. I know it feels different when you compare it to Transparent, but for me, it feels just really very much like it’s coming from the same place.”
“I’ve always talked about myself as doing work that attempts to heal the divided feminine in our culture, the idea that women get kind of chopped up into wife or other woman or good girl, bad girl or Charlie’s Angels or all the women on Sex in the City, and that this idea of the divided feminine means that women get like a small slice to be.” Soloway continued. “…All my work is really about humans searching for some divine feminine, asking these questions about God and looking for meaning. So, for me to transfer that into the world of Red Sonja felt incredibly natural, because Red Sonja is a very different kind of superhero. She’s not really typical.”
Are you excited to see Soloway’s take on Red Sonja? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
