After two years in post-production, the Red Sonja reboot finally has an exciting update.
Per Deadline, Signature Entertainment has acquired the UK and Irish rights to Red Sonja. The film from Millennium Media is expected to be released later this year.
“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,” said Signature Entertainment’s Acquisitions Manager Begüm Kayacan Parodi in a statement. “We’re looking forward to introducing UK and Irish audiences to Matilda Lutz’s sword-swinging huntress later this year.”
Red Sonja is based on the comic book series by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith. Robert E. Howard’s Red Sonya of Rogatino in the short story The Shadow of the Vulture partially inspired Red Sonja. The fantasy movie follows Red Sonja, a barbarian huntress who united a group of warriors to take on the evil Dragan The Magnificent and his deadly bride, Dark Annisia.
Matilda Lutz headlines Red Sonja as the titular huntress. The rest of the ensemble includes Robert Sheehan, Wallis Day, Michael Bisping, Luca Pasqualino, Rhona Mitra, Martyn Ford, Ben Radcliffe, Eliza Matengu, Veronica Ferres, Phillip Winchester, and Trevor Eve.
M.J. Bassett directs Red Sonja from a screenplay by Tasha Huo. The reboot has been in development for nearly two decades, with Bryan Singer and Joey Soloway previously attached to direct.
Red Sonja was previously adapted into a feature film in 1985. Brigitte Nielsen played Red Sonja, while Arnold Schwarzenegger starred as Lord Kalidor. Directed by Richard Fleischer, Red Sonja bombed at the box office, grossing under $7 million on a budget of $17.9 million.
