Review: The Sister Boleyn Girl (2025) – A Bold Retelling with a Modern Edge

Scarlett Johansson makes a powerful return to period drama in The Sister Boleyn Girl (2025) — a daring reimagining of the infamous Tudor tale that once captivated audiences in 2008. But this time, it’s darker, bolder, and far more intimate.

Unlike its predecessor, which focused heavily on the rivalry between Anne and Mary Boleyn, this new version centers on the emotional and psychological weight of being a woman trapped in a world of ambition, manipulation, and royal politics. Johansson plays Anne Boleyn not just as a tragic figure, but as a fiercely intelligent woman forced to weaponize her femininity in a game she never truly controlled.

The trailer is stunning — sweeping shots of 16th-century England, candlelit halls of court, and quiet, tense glances across crowded rooms. The political tension is thick, and so is the personal betrayal. A haunting orchestral score builds beneath whispered threats and clipped dialogue. “They wanted a queen,” Anne says in the trailer’s final moments, “but not one who could think.”

Directed by Greta Gerwig (fictionally, of course), the film appears to be taking a more feminist and psychological approach, exploring Anne’s internal conflict and the societal constraints that sealed her fate. Supporting performances by Florence Pugh as Mary and Tom Hiddleston as Henry VIII add depth and star power to the already electric atmosphere.

If the trailer is any indication, The Sister Boleyn Girl (2025) won’t just retell a familiar story — it will redefine it. Expect opulence, tragedy, and a performance from Johansson that might just be awards season bait.

Trailer Score: 9/10 – Stylish, emotional, and quietly devastating.