My Picks to Play Sonja

Hey there!
I previously posted this as a reply to another topic, but thought it deserved to be on its own. Here are some of my candidates to portray Red Sonja on the big screen:

Amanda Righetti
-She is a redhead
-She has an athletic body and has the physical look to play the part
-She is a regular in the CBS series "The Mentalist" and she was in the 2009 version of "Friday the 13th", so she is not an unknown.
-She is 27, so if the first film was a success she could do a sequel or two.

I don't see any downsides with her. She definitely has the look. One big question: would she be believable in the role? In other words would fans accept her as Sonja?

April Hunter
-She is a redhead
-She looks a lot like the Frank Marshall era steel-bikini Sonja character.
-She has a following on the Internet and in professional wrestling. She has also acted in one action film from Japan and a couple of independent comedy films.

I have always thought that April Hunter would be a good Sonja. But the downside is she is not well known outside of wrestling and I don't know if she could carry the film on her own. This means a strong male lead would be needed for "star power".

Karen Gillian
-She is a redhead
-She has great body--but not the strong physical look that (I think) would be needed for an actress portraying Sonja.
-She does have a growing following thanks to her work on Doctor Who. But--could she portray a strong woman character on the screen and own the part?

Molly Quinn
-She is a redhead
-Currently a regular on the ABC Series "Castle"
-At 16 she is too young for the part now. However---I could see her playing a young Sonja in the future if the first film is a success.

Animated---
I'm wondering if ultimately the best route may be to do an animated film along the lines of the Heavy Metal films. The Sonja we all know and love from the comics could spring to life. I could see an actress with an Eastern European accent doing the voice of Sonja. This would also negate the need for a strong male lead in a live action film. The film could go direct to DVD or Video on Demand in the U.S. and in theaters overseas.

Just my thoughts!

[Warhammer3025]

I too think going animated would be the best option. Will cost less and you can go really over the top with the action whereas you'll be quite limited in live, not to mention drawing the right Red Sonja is alot easier than casting one.

[BigRedFan]

April Hunter---

April Hunter doing the killer sword pose!

[Nemedian]

Erin Cummings
- Redhead
- Height: 5'9"
- Athletic and strong physical look (see below)
- Played Sura, Spartacus' wife on Spartacus: Blood and Sand
- Co-starred in movie B*tch Slap

If Conan, Hercules and Xena can have their own TV shows and a series like Spartacus: Blood and Sand can get on the small screen, I say forget the movie and give Red Sonja her own TV show. Put Erin Cummings in the lead.

Would you rather have a two hour Red Sonja movie or a weekly cable TV series? I say TV but without the camp of Hercules and Xena. Do it more like Rome or Spartacus.

[Olde Sonja Fan]

Am inclined to agree with the animated idea, for the reasons given: cost, easier to draw her than cast her, and action closer to the comics. Another factor in casting is that Red, although a warrior, is a woman of virtue, outfit notwithstanding. What human woman that could possibly play the part even knows the meaning of the word? What woman could go around in anything even close to Red's outfit without looking slutty? Something Red most definitely is not. Animation solves the problem.

Personally vote for movie. Not everyone has a TV, let alone cable, so that route would limit access. Another advantage of animation is that if the first film is successful, a sequel could be produced more rapidly than with live shooting.