Bryan Singer to Remain as ‘Red Sonja’ Director Despite New Sexual Misconduct Accusations

Four men are accusing Singer of having sex with them when they were still underage

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Bryan Singer will keep is job as director of Millennium Films’ upcoming reboot of “Red Sonja,” despite new accusations by four men who say Singer had sex with them when they were still underage.

“I continue to be in development for RED SOJNA [sic] and Bryan Singer continues to be attached,” producer Avi Lerner told TheWrap in a statement.

“The over $800 million BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY has grossed, making it the highest grossing drama in film history, is 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. In America people are innocent until proven guilty,” Lerner went on to say.

In 2017, Millennium Films was sued by an anonymous former employee who accused the company of fostering a “discriminatory, harassing and misogynistic work environment.” According to Los Angeles Superior Court records, a notice of settlement was filed in August by the plaintiff, Jane Roe, who subsequently filed a request for dismissal in October.

Lerner’s statement on Singer comes just 24 hours after The Atlantic published an explosive expose, written by Alex French and Maximillian Potter, detailing four new accounts from men accusing Singer of sexual misconduct beginning in 2014.

Singer has denied any wrongdoing.

“It’s sad that The Atlantic would stoop to this low standard of journalistic integrity,” Singer said in a statement released through his attorney about what he called a “homophobic smear piece.” “Again, I am forced to reiterate that this story rehashes claims from bogus lawsuits filed by a disreputable cast of individuals willing to lie for money or attention.

TimesUp issued a statement Thursday afternoon condemning Millenniums’ decision to keep Singer.

“The recent allegations regarding Bryan Singer’s behavior are horrifying and MUST be taken seriously and investigated,” the organization said. “Those who hire alleged abusers must recognize that these decisions not only subject their employees to possibly unsafe working conditions, but also perpetuate a broken system that rewards powerful people and allows them to act without consequence.”

French and Potter, who spent 12 months investigating Singer, worked for Esquire, where the piece was slated to appear before, according to the reporters, it was killed by Hearst.

The journalists spoke to 50 sources, including one young man, Victor Valdovinos who said that he was 13 years old when when Singer — then in his 30s — sexually assaulted him on the set of “Apt Pupil.” Another man said that he had sex with Singer in 1997 at the filmmaker’s house when he was 17. Another said he was 15 when he had sex that same year in a Beverly Hills mansion. A fourth accuser said that Singer and his friends had a cadre of people who brought them young boys.

Also on Thursday, GLAAD, the country’s largest LGBTQ media watchdog removed “Bohemian Rhapsody” from contention for its outstanding film prize in light of the new accusations.

“In light of the latest allegations against director Bryan Singer, GLAAD has made the difficult decision to remove ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ from contention for a GLAAD Media Award in the Outstanding Film – Wide Release category this year,” GLAAD said in a statement. “This week’s story in The Atlantic documenting unspeakable harms endured by young men and teenage boys brought to light a reality that cannot be ignored or even tacitly rewarded.”

Singer has had a rough year even before the new accusations came to light. He was fired from the Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” mid-production following clashes with the movie’s star, Rami Malek and was frequently absent from the set. A new director, Dexter Fletcher, was brought in to complete the film, though Singer is still credited as the film’s sole director under DGA rules.

The film has gone on to make an eye-popping $750 million worldwide and picked up the Golden Globe for best dramatic picture. Earlier this week, the movie earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

This isn’t the first time Singer has been accused of having sex with minors.

In December 2017, just days after being fired from “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a man by the name of Cesar Sanchez-Guzman accused Singer of forced oral sex and anal penetration while aboard a yacht in Seattle, Washington, in 2003. Sanchez-Guzman said he was 17 years old at the time. Singer has denied the charge.

In April 2014, Michael Egan claimed in a lawsuit that he was raped by Singer and that the director also made him take cocaine, and provided him with drugs and alcohol. Egan later withdrew his lawsuit. Sanchez-Guzman and Egan shared the same lawyer for their respective suits.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

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