'Red Sonja' remake shelved following Bryan Singer allegations
The planned reboot of Red Sonja has been temporarily shelved, following the allegations of sexual assault facing director Bryan Singer.
Millennium Films is said to have put the movie ‘on the back burner’, according to Deadline, after new claims that Singer molested underage boys.
The studio confirmed that ‘the project is not on the slate at the moment’.
Singer has denied the charges, calling the most recent claims ‘a homophobic smear’. He has not been charged.
The reboot of the sword and sorcery actioner, which originally starred Brigitte Nielsen and Arnold Schwarzenegger, has been in the pipeline for over a decade.
Though no casting had yet been announced, it was set to shoot later this year in Bulgaria, but Deadline reports that this now won’t be happening.
Singer has been under intense scrutiny since the recent allegations against him, reported in an exposé in The Atlantic.
The claims follow previous allegations against Singer by several other men, who also claim they were molested by the X-Men and Usual Suspects director when they were underage.
The director recently had his nomination at this year’s BAFTAs revoked in light of the claims. He had been in line for recognition in the Outstanding British Film category for the Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.
Meanwhile, the annual GLAAD awards removed the film from its list of nominees altogether.
Red Sonja’s producer Avi Lerner previously defended plans to hire Singer to direct the film.
“I continue to be in development for RED SOJNA [sic] and Bryan Singer continues to be attached,” he said in a statement last week.
“The over $800 million BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY has grossed, making it the highest grossing drama in film history, is testament to his remarkable vision and acumen. I know the difference between agenda driven fake news and reality, and I am very comfortable with this decision. In America people are innocent until proven guilty.”
However, he’s since rowed back on his comments, suggesting they ‘came out the wrong way.’
“I think victims should be heard and this allegation should be taken very, very seriously,” he said.
“I just don’t agree to judge by Twitter. I want [the accused] to be judged by the court.”
The storyline of the movie is also potentially contentious, beginning with the assault and rape of the lead character and the murder of her family, which sends her on a mission of vengeance.
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