‘Red Sonja’ is set to hit the big screen some time in 2024, four decades after the franchise’s first release. While promoting her new project ‘Magpie,’ Matilda Lutz talked about the rebooted film during a red carpet interview with CBR’s Tessa Smith at SXSW.
Lutz’s comments suggest that the new film will step away from the male gaze sported by the original comics and previous adaptations:
“So, what I can tell about ‘Red Sonja,’ is that the first ones and the comics were [made] with a very male-gazed orientation. This is a completely different story, and it’s very women-empowered, which I loved about the script.”
The Director Wants Nothing To Do With ‘Sexual Politics’
‘Silent Hill: Revelation’s M.J. Bassett directs the film and collaborates with ‘The Witcher: Blood Origin’ writer Tasha Huo. Bassett’s explanations about her version of ‘Red Sonja’ echo the lead actress’ words.
The director has been open about the aim to move away from depicting the titular character as a victim of sexual assault, as it was ‘not a strong motivation.’ In 2023, she told The Hollywood Reporter that the reboot would sidestep ‘sexual politics’ because Sonja was ‘just a human being in the world of femininity.’
The New Film Follows A Cult Project
While Matilda Lutz plays the main character, the cast of the upcoming movie includes Wallis Day, Robert Sheehan, Michael Bisping, Martyn Ford, and Veronica Ferres.
Lutz takes over the role from Brigitte Nielsen, who appeared in the 1985 original based on Robert E. Howard’s ‘Red Sonya Of Rogatino.’ The new ‘Red Sonja’ comes after many efforts to remake the franchise, with Robert Rodriguez attempting to do it in 2008.
