The Red Sonja Movie We've Been Waiting For

I've been waiting for the Red Sonja movie for over 15 years. The project was first announced in 2009 and had long been in development hell with various writers, directors and actors attached to it a different points. The principal photography was done back in 2022 and for a while it looked like the movie wouldn't come out even though it'd already been made. It finally hit the big screen on August 13, 2025.

Going into the film I tried to keep my expectations low. I'd been anticipating it for so long that a let down seemed inevitable. The budget of $10 million was quite small for an epic fantasy film. That it was only in theaters for one day didn't project confidence from the studio.

I wasn't let down. I loved the movie so much.

Spoilers ahead.

I'm so glad they went for it with the iron bikini. It's a real defining feature of the character but sometimes the comics and past screen adaptations have shied away from using it. Yeah, it's absurd, but that's part of the reason fans like it, it was never about being realistic. There's actually two versions of it in the film, both being proper scale armor, NOT chainmail (as it is often mistakenly called). One is a straight bikini and the other offering some actual protection. Also worth noting is that the comics have often struggled to explain the iron bikini, but the movie does it with ease: it's gladiator armor that was always meant for show rather than use in battle. This completely works as real life gladiators were often given a bit of armor that still left much of their body exposed.

Also very glad Red Sonja (Matilda Lutz) didn't have The Vow. In the Marvel Comics run Red Sonja has a rather infamous origin story. She was a village girl living peacefully with her father, mother and two brothers. Then one day bandits arrived, killed her family, raped her, burned down her house and left her for dead. Then the goddess Scathach appeared before her and promised to give Sonja the power to get her vengeance--with the stipulation that she never lay with a man unless he bested her in combat (this is also basically the starting point of the 1985 film).

In the Dynamite Comics run (the current publishers) Sonja's backstory has varied. She's always a survivor sometimes having the rape and The Vow being part of her story, sometimes not, and sometimes outright mocking the idea of The Vow. In the 2025 movie Sonja is orphaned by an attack on her village, and that's it. The film does a nod to The Vow with a fellow gladiator claiming he's never been touched by an opponent's blade, and that if anyone does manage to touch him, they'll win a prize... which is himself. The Vow is gross and I think the film nailed it with this approach.

I loved that it was rated R so they didn't have to hold back on the gore.

I loved Sonja's deep love of animals, which is not just a tacked on trait but a motivating factor for many of her actions.

I loved the villain Draygan (Robert Sheehan) having contempt for rulers that came before him and their false gods (I say false, though there is at least one real god in this fantasy world). Draygan doesn't depend on divine right, his rule is justified by his brilliance. Because it does seem better to be ruled by a self made man rather than a monarchy, but Draygan certainly doesn't rule justly.

I loved Annisia (Wallis Day) as Sonja's nemesis. She pretty much is Sonja (A warrior woman with PTSD who has lost everything) except she had the misfortune of coming of age alongside Draygan.

I loved Hawk (Michael Bisping) and Petra (Rhona Mitra) as a tragic couple.

I loved Countess Barra (Shannon Lieberman née Kingston) asking if there would be blood. Her appearance is something I specifically requested, and I can only assume that producers heard me and responded.

I love that Sonja overcame the cyclops with her intelligence and humanity rather than just slicing it up.

I love that Sonja gets a rare character arc that concludes with her getting what she wants and needs. Generally the plots of (good) films are about characters trying to get what they want and learning what they need. However, characters usually don't get both what they want and need. Sonja does. What she wants is to find her tribe that she lost when her village was attacked. She does find them, and is happy to do so, but the events of the film have made her realize that what she needs is to be an adventuring hero, and she sets out to continue doing that.

The film isn't perfect and I have a few critiques:

I liked that there was an end scene of Sonja in a mountain tavern because I think there is nothing more badass than wearing an iron bikini in the snow. I don't recommend trying it, but it is badass. However, this would have worked better as a post credits scene.

It was set up that Draygan has these tanks, I thought Sonja would have to fight one at some point, but then she didn't. Felt like there was a missing scene there.

There's a scene where Sonja bathes fully clothed. Why didn't she take her dress off? I'm not asking for nudity, just showing a bare back would be more in line with the comic. Bathing clothed meant the film was going out of its way to not sexualize Sonja to the point of being awkward.

These are fairly minor quibbles, and over all I thought the movie was great. I'll admit it's not for everyone. With most comic characters its possible to do a gritty or family version, but not for Sonja. However, anyone would would enjoy a fantasy film that's both dark and a bit absurd should watch Red Sonja.