Red Sonja has been trying to make it to the screen again for a while now. First announced in 2017, the Millennium Media Red Sonja adaptation seemed to hit its stride when it brought on star Hannah John-Kamen (Killjoys, Ant-Man and the Wasp) and writer-director Joey Soloway (Transparent). Both subsequently left the project, though the screenplay is credited to Soloway and Tasha Huo (The Witcher: Blood Origins).
A new director, M.J. Bassett (Altered Carbon), signed on, but for some months the movie has seemed to be without a star. According to Deadline, there’s a new Red Sonja in town: Matilda Lutz (Revenge) is stepping into the warrior’s shoes, and what’s more, Umbrella Academy’s Robert Sheehan and Batwoman’s Wallis Day are on board as well.
Deadline notes that Day is playing Sonja’s “wicked half-sister Annisia,” and Sheehan’s character is named Draygan, though there are no details about who that is. The new cast members join Michael Bisping (Warrior), Martyn Ford (The Nevers), Eliza Matengu (Thor: Love and Thunder), Manal El-Feitury (Code Red) and Katrina Durden (Doctor Strange) in the movie, which is in production in Bulgaria.
Red Sonja has a slightly complicated origin story (and has been the star of her own film, pictured above, once already). Deadline explains: “Inspired by the sword and sorcery comic books of the same name by Dynamite Entertainment, Red Sonja is based on the heroine originally created for Marvel Comics by Robert E. Howard and subsequently adapted by Roy Thomas.” In short, as with many comic characters, many writers have had a hand in her tales, including Gail Simone (who wrote the character in 2013). No details about the film’s specific plot have been announced.
Red Sonja will arrive in theaters… someday. Maybe.
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