MOVIE NEWS – Martyn Ford has crashed into Hollywood with all the force of the Kool-Aid Man smashing through a wall. With the physique of a bodybuilder and the charisma of a seasoned performer, Ford has gone from social media fitness videos to starring in blockbusters (Fast & Furious 9, the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2) and major streaming series (The Sandman, Those About to Die). He is currently portraying the legendary giant Goliath in Prime Video’s new series House of David and will soon take on another imposing role as the villainous General Karlak in the upcoming Red Sonja remake. In an exclusive interview with MovieWeb, Ford revealed that his character will be a “phenomenal” visual experience, setting expectations high for a mix of his intimidating real-life presence and cutting-edge CGI enhancements.

Ford has built a reputation for playing complex yet terrifying villains. He compared Red Sonja’s General Karlak—a futuristic nemesis—to Goliath, a figure from ancient tales dating back over 3,000 years. “There are always similarities between ultimate villains—their mannerisms, their energy. What really changes is the reason behind their actions,” Ford explained before adding:

“My character in Red Sonja—I don’t want to give too much away—is larger than life and an absolute visual spectacle. I’m not 100% sure about the release date, but I can’t wait for it to come out. I really want to see it. The shoot was incredible—phenomenal, really. It’s been quite some time since we filmed it, so I hope it will be released in the next few months. All the villains I’ve had the privilege of playing share a certain Martyn-esque arrogance and grandeur. I’d like to think that’s the signature I leave on my characters.”

The Long-Awaited Red Sonja Remake Is Finally Coming

The journey of the Red Sonja reboot has been anything but smooth. Back in 2008, Robert Rodriguez (El Mariachi, Sin City) was working on a version that would have starred Rose McGowan. A few years later, Simon West (Con Air, The Expendables 2) attempted to bring the project to life, but it ultimately fell apart. After that, a completely new script was developed by Christopher Cosmos, and Bryan Singer was attached as the director. However, following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct in 2019, Singer was removed from the project, and production came to a halt.

Subsequently, Joey Soloway (Transparent) was brought on to write, direct, and produce the film, offering a fresh take on the project. However, that version also failed to materialize, and eventually, M.J. Bassett (Deathwatch, Rogue) stepped in, rewriting the screenplay previously worked on by Soloway and Tasha Huo. Bassett was a solid choice, having already proven her skill in the sword-and-sorcery genre with the underrated Solomon Kane.

Filming for Red Sonja kicked off in November 2022 and wrapped up in early 2023. While the movie was initially slated for a 2024 release, it wasn’t until February 17, 2025, that it was officially announced that Signature Entertainment would distribute the film in the UK at the end of 2025. Until then, fans can catch House of David, which is already streaming on Prime Video.

Source: MovieWeb