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Friday
27Jun2008

Rose McGowan to Play Rodriguez' 'Red Sonja'

DateFriday, June 27, 2008 at 9:38AM
Robert Rodriguez and his girlfriend Rose McGowan are teaming up for a big action movie and this one's not Barbarella. The Sin City co-director and his current muse will remake Red Sonja, based on the Robert Howard character turned into a disastrous film version back in 1985. That one starred Brigitte Nielsen, who, like McGowan, gives off a certain "I'll kick your ass" vibe.

"Rose is a pistol. She's whip-smart, has attitude to burn, is sexy, extremely strong, yet has a vulnerable side that would surprise her closest friends. That description also fits Red Sonja," Rodriguez told USA Today. The only thing is...were we really crying out for Red Sonja to be remade? I think Rodriguez had the same trepidation until he saw the screenplay.

"I was surprised when Rose brought me a script of Red Sonja that she liked. I found it very entertaining." Added Rodriguez, "Sonja was strong, smart, cunning — just about everything she'd have to be to survive."

McGowan admitted, "When they first came to me with it, I thought it was funny. I do have a body made for sitting on a veranda with mint juleps and a parasol. I don't know why I always have to save the planet."

I think the answer to that is simple: Because Robert Rodriguez is casting her in leading roles. I get the Grindhouse thing; McGowan was probably the highlight of the whole evening in that film, and I can understand wanting to build on that role in other ways, but having her play both Red Sonja and Barbarella...with her boyfriend in charge of both productions? Seems a little like nepotism to me when you consider the rest of Rose's resume.

Maybe she can pull both of the roles off, but is that the point? Plenty of actresses could play both parts. Anyway, I thought there was a kind of unspoken rule about having one ongoing action franchise per actor at any given time. Personally, I think this is the better fit for McGowan, who can be a very solid action heroine. Barbarella, I feel, needs to star someone with more of a movie star mystique. That helped the original film tremendously. And I've had kind of an uneasy feeling about the Barbarella remake since McGowan was handed the part. Now with both of them in the works, I'd vote to give her Red Sonja and rethink Barbarella, because that's a remake you absolutely need to get right.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment2 Comments |

Reader Comments (2)

It's amazing what scripts look interesting to a talented director when the actress who hands him the script is sitting on his lap.

I mean, sheee-yoot, just ask Guy Ritchie! Madonna brought him plenty of interesting scripts.

To give Rodriguez credit though, he gave McGowan her best role in a pretty good movie. Maybe this pairing will be good to cinema like Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter have been.

Come to think of it, Carter has nice "scripts" too.

Friday, June 27, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterWill

Some body is thinking with their DICK.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterSin City Gyrl

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