In the Lost Lands (fantasy film: trailer).
When George R. R. Martin writes a short story, you know it’s going to be bleak, brutal, and utterly fascinating—just the kind of thing you’d trust to a cinematic duo like Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista. Enter In the Lost Lands, an epic fantasy that promises to blend swords, sorcery, and a side of existential dread. Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson (Resident Evil, Monster Hunter) and adapted from Martin’s eponymous tale, this film lands in U.S. cinemas on March 7, 2025, with all the subtlety of a werewolf at a full-moon buffet.
The plot sees Jovovich’s Gray Alys, a witch feared for her power and her price, tasked by a queen with retrieving a magical artifact from the treacherous Lost Lands. The artifact? A gift that grants the ability to become a werewolf. Naturally, such a quest isn’t for the faint-hearted—or the faint-clawed—so Alys teams up with Bautista’s Boyce, a mysterious hunter whose biceps alone could probably fend off most dark creatures. Together, they traverse a perilous, post-apocalyptic landscape where every wish granted comes with a side of unimaginable consequences.
Anderson has intriguingly described the film as a “western at its heart,” which makes sense when you think about it. The barren, post-apocalyptic wasteland of the Lost Lands serves as a kind of lawless frontier, where the witch and the hunter face merciless enemies and monsters straight out of your most unsettling bedtime stories. Imagine Clint Eastwood with more magic and fewer ponchos, and you’re halfway there.
This mishmash of genres gives In the Lost Lands a flavour all its own. It’s not just another sword-and-sorcery romp; it’s an atmospheric blend of western iconography, fantasy tropes, and Martin’s trademark cynicism about the cost of power and desire. The whole “be careful what you wish for” shtick has never looked quite so deadly—or so visually stunning, thanks to Anderson’s regular VFX team, who’ve brought along their monstrous chops from Resident Evil and Monster Hunter.
Milla Jovovich, no stranger to fantastical chaos, steps into the role of Gray Alys with the confidence of someone who’s faced down hordes of zombies and come out unscathed. Meanwhile, Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy, Dune) brings his hulking, gruff charisma to Boyce, a character who seems equal parts stoic gunslinger and reluctant monster slayer. Together, they make a compelling, mismatched team navigating a world where danger lurks in every shadow—and behind every bad bargain.
While the film centres on the queen’s peculiar desire to become a werewolf—because obviously that’s the logical next step in a royal midlife crisis—it also delves into deeper themes about the cost of power and the moral murkiness of fulfilling impossible desires. Gray Alys doesn’t grant wishes out of kindness; she does it because that’s her business. And, like any savvy entrepreneur in a dystopian hellscape, she knows that the fine print of her deals is where the real horror lies.
As the source material’s author himself put it, the film is “[d]ark and twisted and atmospheric, and a lot of fun.” Which, coming from Martin, translates roughly to “don’t get attached to anyone or anything.” With Anderson’s visual flair, Jovovich and Bautista’s star power, and a script steeped in Martin’s moral ambiguity, In the Lost Lands is shaping up to be a fantastical, post-apocalyptic thrill ride.
So, grab your popcorn and prepare to journey into the Lost Lands on March 7, 2025—just remember, wishes have consequences, werewolves are forever, and no one survives unscathed. Sounds like a fun night at the cinema, doesn’t it?
