Red Sonja (New Movie)

[Bruce Banner]

After Brigitte Nielsen's 1985 portrayal (and a few aborted projects over the years including ones involving Rose McGowan and Hannah John-Kamen), another Red Sonja movie is finally in production, starring Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz and directed by M.J. Bassett, who helmed the excellent 2009 "Solomon Kane" movie.

(Robert E. Howard's character Red Sonya of Rogatino was a 16th century warrior-woman, and was the basis for "Red Sonja" when Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor Smith transposed the character to Conan's Hyborian Age in the Marvel Comics.)

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/red-sonja-movie-first-photo-1235239042/?fbclid=IwAR23KxWaUsFQAFtG8CRXjQCYO3VVyP3_trHT5RhJ1bL5UvBdV8MIUdrvPiE

[monitor_ep]

This is another Red Sonja announcement being made. Let's hope this one gets made.

I LOVED that Solomon Kane movie so if this comes out it should be great.

[Wee67]

I wonder if this will follow he Howard version or more along the Marvel version. I think I'd like to see the Howard version. The Conan-related one really only appealed to my more prurient interests!

[Bruce Banner]

I wonder if this will follow he Howard version or more along the Marvel version. I think I'd like to see the Howard version. The Conan-related one really only appealed to my more prurient interests!

Looks like it's going to be based on the Marvel version. (Although I expect we won't be seeing the iconic armoured bikini.)

[Wee67]

Looks like it's going to be based on the Marvel version. (Although I expect we won't be seeing the iconic armoured bikini.)

Do you know if Red Sonja is a Robert E. property or does it belong to Marvel? Or is it shared?

As much as I loved the armoured bikini (see my above comment), I can't imagine that coming even close translatable into reality for multiple reasons.

[Bruce Banner]

Do you know if Red Sonja is a Robert E. property or does it belong to Marvel? Or is it shared?

The last I knew, the comic book version of Red Sonja is owned by the company "Red Sonja LLC", whereas the original Red Sonya of Rogatine character is one of the REH properties owned by Cabinet Entertainment/Paradox Entertainment.

[MRP]

Do you know if Red Sonja is a Robert E. property or does it belong to Marvel? Or is it shared?

As much as I loved the armoured bikini (see my above comment), I can't imagine that coming even close translatable into reality for multiple reasons.

It's its own thing. She is not a Howard creation, so not part of the Howard estate. However, she was created under license, not for Marvel per se, so Marvel never owned the rights, only licensed them. so when Marvel gave up the Howard rights in the 80/90s, The Sonja rights went with them and Red Sonja LLC was created as the rights holder. That's why there was no Red Sonja at Marvel when the Conan rights returned a few years ago, that license was with Dynamite (and still is). It's also why most of the Sonja stuff done since it left Marvel has downplayed most of the Hyborian era settings familiar from Conan, and only Hykrania features prominently in them, that Hykrania is substantially different than depicted in Marvel's Conan tales.

Also of note, the Sonja currently appearing in the Dynamite comics has a different origin and history than the Marvel one.

-M

[Earth 2 Chris]

^Thank you for explaining that. I knew some of it, but never had it explained in a way that makes sense.Well, to me it still makes no LEGAL sense, but I guess it's a loophole that someone was able to claim it becaue the character never belonged to neither the Howard estate or Marvel?

[MRP]

^Thank you for explaining that. I knew some of it, but never had it explained in a way that makes sense.Well, to me it still makes no LEGAL sense, but I guess it's a loophole that someone was able to claim it becaue the character never belonged to neither the Howard estate or Marvel?

It never belonged to Marvel because it was created under the auspices of the license and used elements of the Howard mythos (Hykrania etc.) and was derivative of an existing character (Red Sonja). I think Roy Thomas had a stake in the character because he actually created it, but there is some confusion and conflicting accounts in all of it that I seen, but something along the lines of he thought it was work-for-hire so waived those stakes or sold them or some such, but it was all done around the time that first Sonja movie was optioned/being made as they untangled whatever rights issues there were to get that movie made.

Sadly, the current movie has a better chance of being made because it is not tied up with the current owners of the Howard estate because they can't seem to get anything actually done.

-M

[PNGwynne]

.. The Conan-related one really only appealed to my more prurient interests!

lol I was reading Savage Sword of Conan with similar, but diametric, interest.

[Bruce Banner]

Rhona Mitra has also been added to the cast.

https://www.superherohype.com/movies/520660-red-sonja-reboot-gains-rhona-mitra-loses-oliver-trevena

[Wee67]

It's its own thing. She is not a Howard creation, so not part of the Howard estate. However, she was created under license, not for Marvel per se, so Marvel never owned the rights, only licensed them. so when Marvel gave up the Howard rights in the 80/90s, The Sonja rights went with them and Red Sonja LLC was created as the rights holder. That's why there was no Red Sonja at Marvel when the Conan rights returned a few years ago, that license was with Dynamite (and still is). It's also why most of the Sonja stuff done since it left Marvel has downplayed most of the Hyborian era settings familiar from Conan, and only Hykrania features prominently in them, that Hykrania is substantially different than depicted in Marvel's Conan tales.

Also of note, the Sonja currently appearing in the Dynamite comics has a different origin and history than the Marvel one.

-M

Thanks. I did wonder.

[Bruce Banner]

Interesting new article on the movie from The Hollywood Reporter:
"Breaking the Curse of Red Sonja":

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/breaking-the-curse-red-sonja-1235294594/

Some excerpts:

The sheer variety of stories that surrounded Sonja gave Bassett carte blanche to pursue her own vision. “She was a blank canvas,” Bassett says. The one constant was the chain-mail bikini that had helped earn Sonja the title of sexiest woman in comics, according to Comic Buyer’s Guide, in 2011. “It’s preposterous,” says Bassett. “She became a character for prepubescent 13-year-olds that was never accessible beyond.” Bassett grins, sips her cocktail, then quickly self-corrects. “I mean, I loved it!” For the record, Bassett’s Red Sonja is keeping the chain-mail bikini.

Bassett’s script, which she rewrote half a dozen times, steers clear of sexual politics and gender. Curious and friendly in person, Bassett also is direct. “I didn’t warm to the previous script, which was much more sexual politics,” she says. “Obviously in my personal life I’m interested in that. But as a storyteller I don’t think it’s interesting.” She also eliminated a key plot point from the original 1985 film: Sonja’s rape by marauding enemies. “I have no interest in fictional women who use [rape] as an engine of motivation,” she says. “It’s not a strong motivation. She’s just a human being in the world of femininity.”

[Wee67]

Very interesting article. I'm still waiting for some catastrophe to kill the production but this is farther than past attempt.

I still don't see how a bikini works for a warrior. Heck, I can't even functionally see it for walking down the street.

[Earth 2 Chris]

In comics, the visual works. In live action, well, as a straight male, I certainly can appreciate it, but it doesn't make a whole lotta sense. Maybe it's an under armor that gets revealed after the big battle in the film? I don't know.

I remember being a kid and seeing the posters and trailers for the Brigette Neilsen movie and asking "where's the metal bikini?". It's not really Red Sonja without it.