Sarah O'Donell
Devotees of the sword-and-sorcery genre are on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting the release of the upcoming Red Sonja movie. They are hopeful that this new rendition will stay truer to the original source material than the 1985 film, which starred Brigitte Nielsen as the She-Devil With A Sword. Their wishes seem to have been granted, as a recently released photo of lead actress Matilda Lutz reveals a costume that aligns more closely with the comic book version.
The costume was unveiled in a post on the official Red Sonja Instagram account. The photo, which can be seen below, captures Matilda Luntz in a moment with director M.J. Bassett. The image confirms that Luntz will be donning at least one costume inspired by the iconic bikini armor that Sonja is known for. However, the costume seems to strike a balance between the classic comic book design and practicality.
Red Sonja movie costume showcases comic influences
When Sonja made her debut in Conan the Barbarian #23, she was clad in a full chain-shirt and leather breeches. Her notorious bikini armor was the creation of Spanish artist Esteban Maroto, who sketched Sonja in the more revealing outfit. When she reappeared in the comics, John Buscema adopted Maroto’s design for Sonja’s costume, establishing it as her signature look, long before Boris Vallejo featured her on the cover of Savage Sword of Conan #1.
However, Red Sonja has sported a range of costumes over the years. Various artists have interpreted her iconic armor with differing levels of realism and risqué. The costume worn by Matilda Lutz is evidently inspired by the classic design, but with a more practical twist.
The costume design also incorporates other elements from the comics, such as the raven-shaped war paint that accentuates Red Sonja’s eyes. This is a nod to Sonja’s costume from the Queen of Plagues storyline by Gail Simone and Walter Geovani. This makes sense, as Queen of Plagues has been acknowledged as one of the main inspirations for the new film.
The release date for the new Red Sonja movie is still under wraps.
