Enslaved by an evil tyrant who wishes to destroy her people, barbarian huntress Red Sonja must unite a group of unlikely warriors to face off against Dragan The Magnificent and his deadly bride, Dark Annisia.

Directed by MJ Bassett, Red Sonja stars Matilda Lutz, Martyn Ford, Robert Sheehan, Wallis Day, Michael Bisping, Philip Winchester, Trevor Eve, Luca Pasqualino, and Rhona Mitra, whom we saw in .

This isn’t Red Sonja’s first trip to the big screen. The first time was in 1985. That film, a spinoff of the popular Conan the Barbarian movies starring Arnold Schartzenegger, was a cult favorite, but a box office flop. This time around, the effects are bigger, the stakes are greater, and the budget ostensibly much higher.

Rhona Mitra was the first official live-action model for the Lara Croft character in the Tomb Raider video game series. She represented the character for promotional purposes, particularly for the second game, Tomb Raider II.

Red Sonja’s character originated from the short story “The Shadow of the Vulture” by Robert E. Howard, published in 1934, which introduced Red Sonya of Rogatino. This character was a fiery, red-haired warrior woman inspired by historical events, particularly the Ottoman Empire’s expansion in the 16th century. Sonja was a gun-slinging character with a grudge against Suleiman the Magnificent.

She was later reimagined for Marvel Comics by Roy Thomas, who incorporated her into the Conan the Barbarian universe and notably gave her the iconic chainmail bikini. The character’s look was further solidified by Esteban Maroto’s art, influencing the portrayal of other female characters. And yes, the film does address how Sonja gets that iconic chainmail bikini.

Marvel published Red Sonja comics until 1986 and then returned for a one-shot story in 1995. In 2005, Dynamite Entertainment acquired the comic book rights and began publishing Red Sonja comics, and still do today. 

RED SONJA is in theaters August 15 and on digital platforms August 29.