Red Sonja film in post-production, release date is unknown

[hyrkanian]

I hope it doesn't happen again that the cosplayers look more authentic than the actors who represent those comic book characters in Hollywood movies.

Gracie TheCosplayLass

Claire Ane

Ireland Reid

[kemp]

Apr 15, 2022 7:10:05 GMT -5 hyrkanian said:

In new RS series by Dan Abnett - Immortal, Sonja is in her original outfit/costume again.

I like it very much, but chainmail shirt and hot pants would look ridiculous in the movie, as a combination of the clothes of a medieval knight and a superhero from modern era.

Fastzander
If they went with the traditional chainmail bikini, it'd generate howls of outrage. On the other hand, if they didn't go with the traditional chainmail bikini, it'd also generate howls of outrage.
I doubt there is a single conceivable way to dress that character on film these days without procuring 1,000,001 angry takes on the internet. I genuinely would not know what to do if I were in her costume designer's shoes.

I'm afraid that the director and costume designer will opt for a generic costume, similar to some of the costumes worn by famous female warriors on film:

That would be the safest solution for the director, producers and a film company because Hollywood PC police, feminists and Twitter political commissars of the liberal left would approve such a costume, and besides, it would look realistic and practical.
But a warrior in such a costume would not be a real Red Sonja because the chainmail bikini is an integral and inseparable part of the visual identity of She-Devil with the sword, a costume for which she is famous in the world of comics and fantasy in general and standing out from other female warriors in the world of fiction.

Making a film about Red Sonja in which she will not be able to wear her iconic costume is as meaningless as making a Spider-Man film in which he will not appear in his famous costume, or making a Tarzan film in which he will be in a suit all the time.
To quote some of the comments about this topic from CBR forum and Red Sonja Reddit sub:

- The look is cheesy and horribly impractical but holy fuck is it also iconic . I'd no more see it changed than for a live action 40k film to give space marines practical gear.
Don't like it, don't watch it. Not everything is for everyone.

- Sonja is more than the chainmail bikini yes but I was just saying that it's her signature look whether you love it or hate It.
I think if done well her bikini look would work wonders on the big screen...and be one of the big draws for the movie...you'd just have to find the actress that would be good for the role that'd wear it...and less...not sure who'd fit that bill...- The chainmail bikini is the character, if they were worried about offending feminists they would have retired the chainmail bikini decades ago, but it's still her defining look love it or hate it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
- It's silly in the real world but she is not in the real world, bring her world to life where everything is ridiculous and so nothing is ridiculous. If they not gonna have Red Sonja with her story in her world they probably shouldn't call the movie or character Red Sonja. If she ain't going to be wearing the proper outfit then why bother making the movie.                                                                                                                                                                                               
- She's an icon of exploitation sword and sorcery; diluting her through political correctness will really take away the pulp fun associated with the Conan universe, but I really don't see them doing this as a hard-R exploitation movie that just embraces the over the top nature of it all.
- Could easily translate to film. Adds to her character. Actually makes sense. Please keep her in this iconic outfit
- It's her most Iconic look. Saying Red Sonja can't wear the chain mail bikini is like saying Superman can't wear the S on his suit.
- I say put her in the classic chainmail bikini... Overtop a more conventional set of leather armor. Hey, she's wearing it. Red Sonja's probably at least got the grandmother clause going for her though. She was rocking the absurd armor design long before it went mainstream, it's not her fault everyone was copying her.
- If you aren't going to use her most Iconic and well known look then why bother making a movie about that character?
- Its iconic. The people that will go see this movie will prefer her in this attire. The problem with a movie adaption is that they will cater to the people that are not even fans.

Realism? Practicality? It’s a movie about comic book character from Hyborian world, a sword and sorcery/fantasy movie.

- Red Sonja and Conan are scantily clad because of the 70s era frank frazetta art work, which he based off of ancient greek and roman art where legendary warriors were sculpted as fighting naked because they were such spectacular warriors they didnt need armor, no sword could find flesh. People like the T and A but theres reason, history, and art behind it. Frazettas work was so popular and spawned a million clones like Boris and his wife and affected decades of fantasy art, games, and books. SJWs say it is exploitative but Boris wife was a body builder and she posed nude for his art, her art and a few other frazetta clones. the only people exploited were me and my 14 year old friends at 5.00 a pack per 5 cards of the art and you risked a pack of all dudes. only thing problematic are the miserable sjws.

- Comics are fantasy. They are about things that couldn't possibly happen in real life. If you like true-to-life comics, that's fine, but the main role for comics in literature in my opinion is for fantasy. They almost always require a healthy dose of suspension-of-belief. To take the realistic clothing argument to its logical conclusion, consider that Sonja has no: toothpaste, mouthwash, razor blade, soap, deodorant, toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, makeup, etc. A 'real' Sonja would be as foul as a homeless cat-lady with nothing resembling hygiene, skin like leather, breath only a zombie could love, and hair like a dead tumbleweed. Who wants to see that???

- The original outfit designs are yes sexy, impractical, skimpy, the women are exaggerated, unrealistic, & are symbols of a pin-up girl era. But to me they also represent complete fantasy & that’s why i got into comics. Realism, practicality, 100% relatable, it’s not something i’m into because i see it as a limitation on fantasy, on imagination itself. That’s the biggest thing i enjoyed about the original pin-up costumes to me they represented the freedom to create original characters & not be tethered & limited to the rules of the real world because as an artist there was freedom to create as you see fit.

- Yep and barbarian movies in the 80s were FULL of girls AND guys who made Sonja look positively puritanical. Not to mention Conan himself had stories at Dark Horse where he wore nothing but a cloth thong and a pair of boots and wristbands.Those who regard Sonja's outfit as armour are missing the point. The scalemail fabric simply demonstrates that she's a fighter and knows how to handle herself; combine that with the jacked warrior physique capable artists give her and most troublemakers would know to stay away. The whole genre is called 'fantasy'! If people want something a little more realistic, 'Game Of Thrones' is widely available, although even that has dragons and zombies and what not.Whenever some joyless pseudo-historian steps in and starts spouting on about how impractical Sonja's scalemail is, just remind them that she spends a lot of her time fighting dragons, evil sorcerers, demons, werewolves and the like in a completely made-up world. It is high fantasy. It's by far Sonja's most popular and recognisable look and it's weathered the decades. This genre is all about folks with ridiculous physiques and virtually no clothes swinging giant swords around. If people don't like that, don't buy the comic. A celebration of the chainmail bikini, impractical female armour, and all that it stands for! Seriously though, everyone needs to get over it. Male warriors have been dressed in little more than loin cloths and spandex for decades. 'Practical armour' on everyone is boring. Stop killing unfettered fantasy with dull practicality. Sexy isn't sexist.

- The time for realistic female armor is when you're making a biopic of Joan d'Arc or something. This is Red Sonja! Forget about armor realism - this is our chance to go full Frank Frazetta! Imagine a whole movie that looks like Magic the Gathering card art from the early 90s. That is the ass kicking movie I want to see!
- Conan had a leather loincloth, Sonja had a scale-mail bikini. Neither were meant to be portrayed as having realistic armor, but instead be larger than life “I don’t even need real armor” type characters.

But if they still want reason/justification/explanation for her chainmail bikini, well, they can find it:

- Sonja has often enjoyed divine protection and has also shown that she can move fast enough to catch arrows or a knife thrown by Conan himself or so quickly that a man’s eyes can’t follow her. She doesn’t need armour most of the time, it’s that simple. That’s not even mentioning her ridiculous levels of durability that allow her to shake off hits from dragons, house-sized demons or even Spider-Man
- Red Sonja isn't an ordinary human being. Pretty early on in the old Marvel run it was shown that she was empowered with superhuman fighting powers by the red goddess Scáthach. This was also depicted in that godawful movie with Brigitte Nielsen. So she could probably rush into battle stark naked and completely unarmed, and still defeat everyone and come out mostly unscathed.
- I could see it working. Bikini armor could be because she is from a warrior culture and people that live rough dont have time for modesty. And the lack of armor could be a statement that she is so good at fighting that she doesn't need it.
- I always thought that the whole point of barely any clothes for Sonja was as a show of bravado, that she felt that she didn't need strong armor and such because nobody was good enough to get a good shot in on her...that and to throw off her male enemies...and some female enemies perhaps...That's exactly why she wears that outfit ... to distract opponents and also because people in her world associate her accomplishments and reputation with that costume. Like I've said elsewhere, Sonja's been known to take on small armies in the bikini and not suffer so much as a scratch.
- The ultimate middle finger to bandits, brigands, and murderers everywhere in Hyboria. I always feel the bikini acts as a warning to both characters and symbolically to the reader. You may be drawn in by it, but you learn quickly that it will mean your death if you have any lurid expectations.
- The chainmail bikini theory of armor states that for armor that emphasizes sex appeal over actual protection, distraction/envy is as much of a factor in the increased protection as the normal deflection of regular armor. The typical horny barbarian, when confronted with a good looking woman wearing a chainmail bikini, is distracted by his own lusty thoughts to the point where his attacks are less effective than usual. For those who prefer the opposite sex from the person wearing the chainmail bikini, feelings of envy and jealousy elicit much the same result.
- As for Red Sonja herself, I have to ask, has the armor EVER been treated seriously in universe? I always thought it was mostly a cover thing mixed with Sonja's actual skill being 'Just That Good'. Granted, I never cared for the chain bikini either way but I always thought the hate against it was equally overblown considering its fantasy and not terribly realistic tonally speaking either way.
- I always feel the bikini acts as a warning to both characters and symbolically to the reader. You may be drawn in by it, but you learn quickly that it will mean your death if you have any lurid expectations. I found myself beginning to act like people when she walks into a town or bar. I might look but it’s a quick look and I’m gonna let the woman do whatever is is she was trying to do. That’s kinda why I feel it can work in a movie if the writing and direction set that expectation.
- Yes, exactly. Ignoring the fact that sex always sells, and always will (it's why superheroes of both sexes wear effectively body paint), the real point is to show off her skill. Red Sonja can wear that little and still beat men twice her size through her swordsmanship. She's just that dang good.

 

Of course, Sonja doesn't have to wear it all the time in the movie, but in key scenes of the movie and crucial fights, she must wear it.

- Yeah, I like the idea of her wearing the bikini for 'official business', when some king or whatever has recruited her to lead an army or find some valuable artifact ... this is the outfit she's known for and it's what she'd wear to go and meet with her new employer. She should be smart enough to dress for the weather though, if she can access different clothes.
If she's trying to have a drink at an inn incognito, I wouldn't imagine the bikini would be the smartest choice of attire but it might be a different story if she's going to celebrate her latest victory there or if she's talking to somebody about some potential work.
To me, the bikini works almost as an intimidation tactic. People see it, they recognise Red Sonja and they know to keep the hell away.

- A lot of us feel it should be used "sparingly". Example- Sonja should NEVER wear it in the snow or in the middle of a huge battle, or while she is sneaking around like a ninja, or trying to be in disguise. But in the desert? Or trying to intimidate a single opponent? Or traveling at the front of a caravan to ward off bandits? or trying to impress a monarch? or to validate just who she is? it's almost perfect attire in those situations!

Whether such a costume can work on film is a legitimate question, but as I said, and as a few other people have written on this subject here - if the film is shot in a stylized way, so that it visually resembles a comic book (like 300 and Sin City movies or the Spartacus series), Sonja's chainmail bikini will look terrific on the movie screen and convincing too. Like everything else we will see in that kind of movie, because we would have the impression that we entered some of Conan/Sonja comics and novels, that the Hyborian era came to life before our eyes.

DarkGidora
- However , I think if they go with something very stylized and pulpy, it could work--a la 300 where the Ancient Greeks fought pitched in underwear, capes, and nothing else (or all the bare-chested barbarians of 1980s fantasy--Conan, Deathstalker, Ator, He-Man). A ridiculous lack of armor isn't going to matter much if you lean in on the more ridiculous sword & sorcery vibe.

I would like M.J. Bassett to have the courage and vision to choose a lead actress who looks like Sonja from comics and illustrations and to portray her and Hyborian world and people authentically, the way they should look and behave, regardless of whether it will anger or offend the false moralists on duty.
I am sure that such a film would be liked by the general public, and not only by Conan/Sonja/sword and sorcery/fantasy fans, and that it would be commercially successful.

I can't believe I read all of that, but it was worth it. Insightful. I think Red Sonja as a niche hard-R exploitation movie would work, especially with the chain mail bikini, the kind of movie that stands out as a cult classic years later, so good because it isn't quiet mainstream.  

I have to admit that the look became iconic Red Sonja, and not just because it was sexy, but you had the impression that it represented how dangerous the she demon really was, her martial prowess with sword was right up there with the Hyborian best, and in all honesty I could never really work out whether she would beat Conan or vice versa in a death duel. They need to work the danger aspect.

Of course if they wanted to present Red Sonja to general movie audiences with the impression of making a big blockbuster return, then I'm not so sure, something closer to some of those other images of screen female warriors.
 

[Deleted]

Female armour in games by Viva La Dirt League 

[Jason Aiken]

Regarding those cosplay images...

[Char-Vell]

She won't lay with a man unless he's defeated her in battle. What do I get if I defeat her at Heroclix?

[hyrkanian]

Apr 23, 2022 7:33:57 GMT -5 Char-Vell said:

What do I get if I defeat her at Heroclix?

A beer and handshaking.

[kemp]

The not laying with a man unless he defeats her was always problematic.

I mean what happens if he kills her during the fight or she gets badly disfigured. I mean imagine some bloodied woman, wounds here and there, maybe a crushed leg or lost a hand slurring how you can lay with her now, I would be 'you crazy bitch, you just tried to kill me, but I think what you desperately need now is a healer and not a screw '. 

[johnnypt]

Apr 26, 2022 8:58:09 GMT -5 kemp said:

The not laying with a man unless he defeats her was always problematic.

I mean what happens if he kills her during the fight or she gets badly disfigured. I mean imagine some bloodied woman, wounds here and there, maybe a crushed leg or lost a hand slurring how you can lay with her now, I would be 'you crazy bitch, you just tried to kill me, but I think what you desperately need now is a healer and not a screw '. 

I guess they were expecting the guy to do JUST enough to beat her 

[Char-Vell]

Apr 26, 2022 9:29:26 GMT -5 johnnypt said:

Apr 26, 2022 8:58:09 GMT -5 kemp said:

The not laying with a man unless he defeats her was always problematic.

I mean what happens if he kills her during the fight or she gets badly disfigured. I mean imagine some bloodied woman, wounds here and there, maybe a crushed leg or lost a hand slurring how you can lay with her now, I would be 'you crazy bitch, you just tried to kill me, but I think what you desperately need now is a healer and not a screw '. 

I guess they were expecting the guy to do JUST enough to beat her 

yeah, that whole thing always seemed poorly thought out. 

Sorry, Rascally Roy!

[Char-Vell]

Apr 26, 2022 7:31:47 GMT -5 hyrkanian said:

Apr 23, 2022 7:33:57 GMT -5 Char-Vell said:

What do I get if I defeat her at Heroclix?

A beer and handshaking.

A win is a win!

[zarono]

Apr 26, 2022 8:58:09 GMT -5 kemp said:

The not laying with a man unless he defeats her was always problematic.

I mean what happens if he kills her during the fight or she gets badly disfigured. I mean imagine some bloodied woman, wounds here and there, maybe a crushed leg or lost a hand slurring how you can lay with her now, I would be 'you crazy bitch, you just tried to kill me, but I think what you desperately need now is a healer and not a screw '. 

I suppose the idea was that the type of man who could defeat her and be her lover wouldn't be the type who would actually carve her up into bloody chunks and somehow get turned on by it. Something more along the  "worthy" type who would stop his blade just short of the deathblow or whatever.
I don't know if it still applies to the modern versions of the character but originally she had no fighting skills of her own, she got supernatural levels of fighting abilities from a goddess to get revenge. Looking at it that way it doesn't even really matter that she wears a chainmail bikini into a fight because magic protects her and makes her a killing machine (the gods might even have engineered the chainmail bikini situation to make her life more interesting).

[kemp]

Apr 26, 2022 9:55:17 GMT -5 zarono said:

Apr 26, 2022 8:58:09 GMT -5 kemp said:

The not laying with a man unless he defeats her was always problematic.

I mean what happens if he kills her during the fight or she gets badly disfigured. I mean imagine some bloodied woman, wounds here and there, maybe a crushed leg or lost a hand slurring how you can lay with her now, I would be 'you crazy bitch, you just tried to kill me, but I think what you desperately need now is a healer and not a screw '. 

I suppose the idea was that the type of man who could defeat her and be her lover wouldn't be the type who would actually carve her up into bloody chunks and somehow get turned on by it. Something more along the  "worthy" type who would stop his blade just short of the deathblow or whatever.
I don't know if it still applies to the modern versions of the character but originally she had no fighting skills of her own, she got supernatural levels of fighting abilities from a goddess to get revenge. Looking at it that way it doesn't even really matter that she wears a chainmail bikini into a fight because magic protects her and makes her a killing machine (the gods might even have engineered the chainmail bikini situation to make her life more interesting).

I get you, but Red Sonja is a she devil of a fighter, I mean, you would be extremely lucky to survive her in an encounter let alone control the fight. I always imagined fighting Sonja to be a damned bloody and extremely tough affair. For me she was in the same league as Conan when I read SSOC, Valeria was different, definitely not in the same fighting class as Red, and the supernatural fighting ability was her edge. Good luck to any guy trying to best her.  

[kemp]

Apr 26, 2022 9:29:26 GMT -5 johnnypt said:

Apr 26, 2022 8:58:09 GMT -5 kemp said:

The not laying with a man unless he defeats her was always problematic.

I mean what happens if he kills her during the fight or she gets badly disfigured. I mean imagine some bloodied woman, wounds here and there, maybe a crushed leg or lost a hand slurring how you can lay with her now, I would be 'you crazy bitch, you just tried to kill me, but I think what you desperately need now is a healer and not a screw '. 

I guess they were expecting the guy to do JUST enough to beat her 

I will take my chances with Valeria. 

[kemp]

Apr 26, 2022 9:32:58 GMT -5 Char-Vell said:

Apr 26, 2022 9:29:26 GMT -5 johnnypt said:

I guess they were expecting the guy to do JUST enough to beat her 

yeah, that whole thing always seemed poorly thought out. 

Sorry, Rascally Roy!

I will take on the Red Sonja beer though. 

[BlackHeart]

CONAN does defeat her in "War of the Wizards", yet refuse to lay with her, mad cause of her jealous spitting on Belit she doesnt know is dead. SHE even share a tear in the end of the story.