The first preview of the Red Sonja reboot with Matilda Lutz in action sparked fans’ enthusiasm, showing the warrior dealing with brutal enemies and a mysterious creature
A visual homage to comics
In the clip we can see Matilda Lutz as the iconic warrior, equipped with armor faithful to the most recent versions of the character in the comics. The iconic chainmail bikini is gone, replaced by a more practical but equally impressive design, which maintains the essence of the character while adapting her image to modern times.
The scene shows the She-devil with a sword face a horde of enemies in melee combat. At the end of the clip, a horned, reptilian-looking creature briefly appears in chains, raising expectations of the film’s fantastical elements.
A project with a turbulent history
The path of Sonja Rossa towards the screen was blocked. For more than a decade, Millennium Films struggled to move the project forward, facing multiple changes in screenwriters and directors. Finally, in 2022, with MJ Bassett (Solomon Kane) as director and with Matilda Lutz in the lead role, production could begin.
Lutz replaced Hannah John Kamen (Ant-Man and the Wasp, Lightning), who was originally cast as Sonja.
A darker but balanced vision
In recent statements, producer Les Weldon assured that the film is almost ready for release. According to Weldon, the team is working on refining the CGI of some key sequences to ensure the visual effects do justice to Sonja’s world.
“We want the CGI to be smooth and not distract viewers. “This approach ensures that the tone of the film is dark, but not overly or gratuitously,” he said.
Furthermore, MJ Bassett confirmed that this version of Sonja Rossa removes a controversial element from the character’s original story: his motivation based on brutal aggression.
“I don’t care about imaginary women being used [ese evento] as a motivational engine,” Bassett explained. “Sonja is simply a woman living in an unforgiving world and her strength comes from facing that reality.”
A promising cast
The film will not only have Lutz, but also a cast that includes him Wallis Day like Annisia, Robert Shehan like Draygan, Michael Bisping like Falcon, Martyn Ford as general Karlak and Eliza Matengu like Amarak.
Although an official release date has not been announced, Weldon’s words suggest that the film will arrive in theaters soon. Taking a slightly darker approach than the original ’80s film, this reboot seeks to capture the essence of the character while modernizing his narrative for a new generation of viewers.
The leaked clip, supposedly shown on San Diego Comic-Con 2023is already generating strong interest among fans, who hope to see more of the epic action and rich universe of this new adaptation of Sonja Rossa.
The warrior who defied fantasy stereotypes
Although Red Sonja debuted as a supporting character in the Conan comics in the 1970s, her impact was immediate. Created by Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith for Marvel Comicsthe warrior was based on Sonya de Rogatino, a character by writer Robert E. Howard. Her characteristic mix of strength, wit and determination has given her her identity, distancing her from simply being “the female version of Conan”.
Over the years, Red Sonja has become an icon of heroic fantasystanding out as one of the few heroines capable of rivaling her male colleagues. While Conan was defined by his brutality, Sonja embodied strategic and emotional resilience, facing not only monsters and warriors, but also a world that underestimated women. This reboot promises explore new dimensions of the charactermodernizing his legacy without losing his heroic essence.
With thoughtful aesthetics, a committed team and a renewed vision, the reboot of Sonja Rossa It could mark a milestone for the character. Time will tell if this version will succeed in gaining fans and a new audience.