Bryan Singer Still Directing ‘Red Sonja’ Reboot Despite Allegations

In the aftermath of a harrowing expose in the Atlantic that detailed decades of sexual assault allegations, many involving underage boys, against former Bohemian Rhapsody director Bryan Singer, Millennium Films has decided that Singer will keep his job directing its upcoming Red Sonja reboot, the Hollywood Reporter reports.

"I continue to be in development for Red Sonja and Bryan Singer continues to be attached," producer Avi Lerner said in a statement to the Reporter. Lerner cited Bohemian Rhapsody's $800 million gross as a reason for keeping Singer. He called the film a "testament to his remarkable vision and acumen."

"I know the difference between agenda-driven fake news and reality, and I am very comfortable with this decision," Lerner said. "In America, people are innocent until proven otherwise."

In 2017, a former female employee sued Lerner and Millennium films claiming sexual harassment and gender discrimination. In the suit, the former employee said Lerner and other executives referred to women as "whores, cocksuckers, and mistresses." The suit also claimed that Lerner hired his girlfriends to produce his films and offered them preferential treatment over female employees who were not sleeping with Lerner or other executives.

At the time, Lerner told Deadline the suit was "all lies" and said, "It's just a joke."

Actor Terry Crews tweeted in February that Lerner has advocated on account of alleged sexual assaulters before. a Lerner allegedly called his manager saying Crews could avoid "problems" if he dropped his sexual harassment suit against Adam Venit and the William Morris Agency. Crews sued Venit in December 2017 for allegedly groping his genitals. Crews testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in June that he is no longer involved in the film The Expendables 4 because of the suit.

"Abusers protect abusers -- and this is one thing I had to decide, whether I was going to draw the line on. Am I going to be a part of this or am I gonna take a stand, and there are projects I had to turn down," Crews said.

The journalists who wrote The Atlantic's story reported it for 12 months and spoke to over 50 sources, including Victor Valdovinos, who says he was sexually assaulted as a 13-year-old extra on the set of Singer's Apt Pupil.

This week, Bohemian Rhapsodylanded five Oscar nominations, including a nomination for best picture. Singer called the article a "homophobic smear piece" meant to distract from his film's success.

Singer is poised to earn up to $10 million for his work on Red Sonja. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Millennium films has been inundated with calls and emails asking the company to drop Singer, though they apparently did not change Lerner's mind.

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