Thirteen years ago, Charlize Theron took home an Oscar for her work in “Monster,” and two years later she was nominated again for “North Country.” Academy accolades haven’t landed for the actress since, but she may have found a new career niche as an action star. She was the super-charged co-star of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” played the villain in “The Fate Of The Furious,” and will kick more ass this summer in “Atomic Blonde.” However, had things gone differently, Theron would’ve been tentpole material long, long ago.
In 2005, the actress starred in the sci-fi action flick “Aeon Flux,” a big screen take on the beloved TV series. It didn’t work. Reviews were brutal, and director Karyn Kusama went to movie jail, and was only able to mount two more features across the next decade. But hindsight is 20/20 and Theron is candid about “Aeon Flux” missing the mark.
READ MORE: Charlize Theron Says Script For ‘Mad Max’ Prequel ‘Furiosa’ Ready To Go
“When ‘Aeon Flux’ came to me, I thought that could be something. I was never completely sold on the entire concept, but I really loved [director] Karyn Kusama’s movie [‘Girlfight’]. So I threw myself into that with the belief that she’s a great filmmaker,” she told Variety.
“And then we fucked it all up,” she added. “I just don’t think we really knew how to execute it. And it’s disappointing, but it happens. I’ve been in this business long enough to know that you cannot get it right every time. I might have gotten [‘Atomic Blonde’] right because of that.”
Indeed, “Atomic Blonde” is one that Universal swooped in on, essentially taking it off the hands of their arthouse division Focus Features, with a keen eye to turn it into a franchise.
“It does look like a big movie,” Universal Pictures chairman Donna Langley said. “It’s a phenomenal character that she’s created, and I see deploying that character in many different adventures and scenarios.”
With this and renewed chatter about a prequel to “Mad Max: Fury Road,” it looks like Theron will be flexing some serious muscle on the big screen for some time to come. “Atomic Blonde” opens on July 28th.