After being fired from his film Bohemian Rhapsody amid production, director Bryan Singer was roped in to helm Red Sonja. However, Millennium Films has reportedly put the film on hold as outrage surrounding accusations of sexual misconduct against the filmmaker continues to mount.
Red Sonja is a spin-off of Conan the Barbarian and is intended to kick off a new franchise for Millennium with a female lead.
According to Variety, a spokesperson for Avi Lerner's Millennium Films studio said, "The project is not on the slate at the moment and is not for sale at the European Film Market in Berlin.” Millennium had plans to shoot Red Sonja in Bulgaria this year, but has dropped plans to do so, she added.
The movie was gearing up to begin production this year, but that’s no longer happening, and no casting has taken place. Singer has not officially been removed as director of Red Sonja, but it is no longer on the Millennium Films' slate.
The latest development comes two weeks after Lerner, the longtime Millennium chairman, brushed off a report in the Atlantic in which the Bohemian Rhapsody director was accused of inappropriate groping and sexual relationships with four young men.
Talking about the article, Lerner had released an official statement, "“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.”
Singer has consistently denied misconduct, and called the Atlantic story “a homophobic smear piece” and asserted that it “rehashes claims from bogus lawsuits.” The story was published a day after Bohemian Rhapsody received five Academy Award nominations, including best picture for producer Graham King and actor for Rami Malek.
GLAAD, the media monitoring organization founded by LGBT people in the media, issued a statement about Millennium’s decision: “Thank you Millennium Films for putting ‘Red Sonja’ on hold after survivors of sexual assault spoke out against director Bryan Singer. The industry needs to hold those who perpetuate harms against anyone – especially vulnerable young people – accountable for their actions. We will continue to stand with survivors of sexual assault and join with other organizations in refusing to remain silent when it comes to protecting them.”
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