As Hollywood continues to embrace feminist properties for major motion picture adaptations, it's been announced that TWILIGHT and MISS BALA director Catherine Hardwicke has been selected to adapt Vault Comic's HEATHEN for Constantin Film and Prime Universe Films.
Created by artist-writer Natasha Alterici, Heathen centers on Aydis, a lesbian viking, warrior, outcast, and a self-proclaimed heathen. She is friend to the talking horse Saga, rescuer of the immortal Valkyrie Brynhild, and battler of demons and fantastic monsters. Aydis is a conqueror. Born into a time of warfare, suffering, and subjugation of women, she is on a mission to end the oppressive reign of the god-king Odin.
Word of HEATHEN's adaptation comes just after Marvel proclaimed Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie as the studio's first out and proud LGBTQ character of the MCU. Additionally, Marvel also announced that Natalie Portman will rise to the role of Mighty Thor for director Taika Waititi's THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, which is expected for a November 3, 2021 debut in theaters. As female comic book characters and superheroes become more common on the silver screen, it's been made quite clear that studios have heard the shouts of female fans demanding their representation as a part of the genre. With so many incredible heroes and characters to choose from, I suspect that Hardwicke's HEATHEN adaptation will be just one of many projects announced that bolsters female empowerment, especially in the realm of high-fantasy action features.
Producing the empowering project are Robert Kulzer and Margo Klewans of Constantin Films, with Prime Universe Film’s Adrian Askarieh also producing with F.J. DeSanto. Meanwhile, Constantin's Martin Moszkowicz and Vault CEO Damian Wassel will serve as executive producers.
Having been a fan of Heathen since the release of its first issue in February of 2017, and after interviewing Alterici at New York City Comic-Con that same year, I can tell you that this project has some major potential. While I'm not the biggest fan of Hardwicke's past work, HEATHEN is sure to provide her with a vast battlefield of possibilities, and plenty of blood-soaked action with which to sharpen her skills as the director of this upcoming fantasy epic.