It’s been officially announced that the long-awaited Red Sonja reboot will finally be released later this year in the UK, though a specific date has yet to be determined, nor is it known when it will be released in other international markets. The character of Red Sonja was created by Robert E. Howard (best known as the creator of Conan the Barbarian), while the upcoming the film will be based on the comic book series released by Dynamite Entertainment. Directed by M. J. Bassett, Red Sonja stars Matilda Lutz in the title role, along with Wallis Day as Annisia, Robert Sheehan as Draygan, Michael Bisping as Hawk, and Martyn Ford as General Karlak.
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Plot details are still under wraps, but the film will revolve around the barbarian huntress Red Sonja as she leads a group of hardened warriors to free their people from the tyranny of the malevolent Dragan The Magnificent, and his wife, Dark Annisia.
According to Deadline, Begüm Kayacan Parodi, the Acquisitions Manager of Signature Entertainment which picked up the UK and Irish distribution rights, said, “Red Sonja epitomizes the kind of film we’re looking for at Signature – an epic story in a fantasy-laden world with a strong commercial feel to its execution, which made it immediately appealing to us. We’re looking forward to introducing UK and Irish audiences to Matilda Lutz’s sword-swinging huntress later this year.”
Red Sonja was first brought to the big screen in the eponymous 1985 film that was made to capitalize on the success of the Arnold Schwarzenegger starring hits, Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer. Unfortunately, the film was a major flop, putting the kibosh on any follow-ups for years.
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The project was revived by Robert Rodriguez in 2008 and was intended to star his then-girlfriend Rose McGowan in the lead role. However, that project fell apart, with various other filmmakers and studios attached to it over the next several years. There were even initial plans to shoot the film before the release of the sequel to 2011’s Conan the Barbarian reboot, though that never happened.
One of the biggest signs that a Red Sonja film was finally happening was in 2018 when it was announced that X-Men and Superman Returns director Bryan Singer had signed on to direct. However, after Singer was accused of sexual assault by multiple men, this project also fell through.
Finally, in 2021, Tasha Huo was brought on as the screenwriter with filming kicking off the following year. Red Sonja was in post-production for nearly two years before its production company Millennium Media reached the distribution deal with Signature. J.J. Nugent, the President of International Sales and Distribution of Millennium Media, said in a statement released to Deadline, “We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Signature Entertainment to bring Red Sonja to audiences in the UK. This franchise has a passionate global fanbase, and we can’t wait to deliver a film that honors its legacy while introducing the iconic characters to a new generation.”
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