[First Trailer] Red Sonja Returns Swinging in Bloody First Look at Long-Awaited Comeback
After years of delays and changes behind the scenes, Red Sonja is finally making her big return to theaters. Samuel Goldwyn Films just dropped the first official trailer, and it’s as fierce and gory as fans hoped. The trailer shows Matilda Lutz in the lead role, stepping into the boots and chainmail of the classic sword-swinging warrior.
The trailer opens with a brutal attack that sets the stage for Sonja’s revenge. She’s captured at first, but as you’d expect, that doesn’t last long. As the action picks up, she’s fighting soldiers, battling in arenas, and showing no mercy. Of course, she’s wearing her signature chainmail bikini, which even gets a small joke at the end of the trailer, one of the only light-hearted moments in a very intense preview.
From what we see, the movie isn’t holding back on the fantasy action. There are sword fights, brutal hand-to-hand combat, and even a massive Cyclops that Sonja faces down without flinching. There are also hints at a bigger enemy, with Sonja going up against dangerous opponents tied to a character named Draygan.
This new movie has had a long and messy journey. Back in 2017, Millennium Films first announced they were bringing Red Sonja back, with Avi Lerner, Joe Gatta, Mark Canton, and Courtney Solomon producing. Ashley Miller was hired to write the script.
In 2018, Bryan Singer was brought on as director, but things changed fast. After serious accusations of sexual assault were made against him, Millennium pulled the film in early 2019, and Singer was let go shortly after. Then Joey Soloway stepped in to take over directing and writing duties. That didn’t last either, Soloway left in 2022, and M. J. Bassett was brought on board to direct.
Filming finally started in Bulgaria in August 2022. That’s when Italian actress Matilda Lutz was confirmed as the new Red Sonja. Tasha Huo, known for Netflix’s Tomb Raider animated series, wrote the most recent version of the script.
The film is expected to hit theaters in the US and UK sometime in late 2025. Based on this first trailer, it looks like Sonja’s long wait might actually pay off.
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