According to Deadline, Revenge star Matilda Lutz has officially been tapped for the titular leading role in Millennium Media’s live-action film adaptation of Red Sonja, based on Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith’s sword and sorcery comic book character. She will be replacing Ant-Man and Wasp star Hannah John Kamen, who had to exit the long-in-development project due to scheduling conflicts.

In addition, The Umbrella Academy's Robert Sheehan, Wallis Day (Krypton), Michael Bisping (xXx: Return of Xander Cage), Martyn Ford (F9: The Fast Saga), Eliza Matengu (Thor: Love and Thunder), Manal El-Feitury (Code Red) and Katrina Durden (Doctor Strange) have also been cast in the fantasy comic book film, which has finally started its production. Sheehan is set to portray the role of Draygan, while Day will take on the role of Annisia, the titular character’s wicked half-sister.

The film, which has been in development since 2010, is being directed by M.J. Bassett from a screenplay co-written by Emmy winner Joey Soloway and Tasha Huo with Soloway initially attached to helm the project last year. “I’ve wanted to make a Red Sonja movie since I was a teenager – she has been a powerful presence for me and a character that I have always wanted to bring to the screen with my own voice and vision,” Bassett said in a statement. “When I met Matilda Lutz, I knew she had all the magic I was looking for and could see the complexity and depth she would bring to Sonja.”

Lutz’s recent projects include Paramount Pictures’ Zone 414 starring Guy Pearce, Neon’s Revenge, Paramount Pictures’ Rings starring Vincent D’Onofrio, and Netflix’s Medici starring Daniel Sharman. Her upcoming projects include Netflix’s Reptile with Alicia Silverstone, Benicio Del Toro, Frances Fisher and Justin Timberlake; Helen’s Dead starring Dylan Gelula and Emile Hirsch; and Magpie, with Daisy Ridley and Shazad Latif.

Day is best known for her roles in Paramount’s Infinite starring Mark Wahlberg, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rupert Friend and Dylan O’Brien, E!’s The Royals starring Elizabeth Hurley, Syfy’s Krypton starring Hannah Waddingham, and The CW’s Batwoman. Her upcoming projects include Paramount’s Sheroes, starring Isabelle Fuhrman, and the second season of Netflix’s Sex/Life starring Sarah Shahi and Mike Vogel.

Sheehan is best known for his role as Klaus in Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, which has him starring alongside Elliot Page, Aidan Gallagher, Tom Hopper, Emmy Raver-Lampman, David Casteneda and Rita Arya. The actor is also known for his roles in Sony’s The Mortal Instruments franchise, starring Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower; Misfits starring Iwan Rheon and Antonia Thomas; and Amazon’s Fortitude starring Dennis Quaid.

Bassett’s past projects include the fantasy pic Solomon Kane starring James Purefoy, and Starz’s Power starring Omari Hardwick. Her recent projects include Lionsgate’s Endangered Species starring Rebecca Romijin and Jerry O’Connell; Lionsgate’s Rogue starring Megan Fox; and episodes of Freeform’s Motherland: Fort Salem, Netflix’s Altered Carbon, and Syfy’s Nightflyers.




Red Sonja is a sword-and-sorcery character that was created by Robert E. Howard, writer Roy Thomas, and artist Barry Windsor Smith for Marvel Comics in 1973. The character is described as fiery and strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Conan while refusing his advances. Her solo comics are still being published today through Dynamite Entertainment.

The Red Sonja movie is being produced by Mark Canton (300, Power) and Courtney Solomon (After) will produce along with Christa Campbell and Lati Grobman on behalf of Campbell Grobman Films. Producers also include Topple’s Andrea Sperling, Millennium’s Yariv Lerner, Jeffrey Greenstein, Jonathan Younger, Les Weldon, Joe Gatta, and Tanner Mobley with Millennium’s Avi Lerner, Boaz Davidson, and Trevor Short, Dorothy Canton, and Luke Lieberman set as executive producers.