Red Sonja Movie Delayed Following Director Controversy

Despite being fired from the production of the hit Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, in September last year director Bryan Singer was announced as director of fantasy movie Red Sonja. However, following various allegations of sexual assault against Singer, it has been reported that the project has been delayed by producers Millennium Films.

According to Variety, the movie was set to start shooting in Bulgaria this year. However, a spokeswoman for Millennium confirmed that the movie is no longer on the studio's slate and plans for its production have been postponed. In addition, distribution rights are no longer for sale at the European Film Market, which is currently taking place in Berlin.

Last month, The Atlantic published a story in which Singer was accused of sexual assault on the set of his 1998 movie Apt Pupil and of sleeping with under-age boys. Singer has denied all charges against him. In addition, Singer was fired by Fox from Bohemian Rhapsody in December 2017 after repeated absences from the set. Singer is also known as the director of several X-Men movies, including the original 2000 film and 2017's X-Men: Apocalypse.

This news of Red Sonja's delay comes two weeks after Millennium boss Avi Lerner defended Singer and insisted that he was still in place as Red Sonja's director. "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," said Lerner at the time. "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 otherwise."

The character of Red Sonja first appeared in a 1973 issue of Marvel's Conan the Barbarian comic, and subsequently appeared in her own title. A previous movie was made in 1986, with Brigitte Nielsen in the lead role and co-starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, but this was a commercial and critical failure. A new movie version has been in development for many years--at one stage Alita: Battle Angel director Robert Rodriguez was slated to direct.