the idea of a normal life long ago - she is a professional killer. As far as she's concerned, she's on the planet for one reason: to avenge the murder of her family."

Producer David Gale, who is also Executive Vice President of MTV Films, agrees that Aeon Flux will live up to expectations of the fans of the series while also being accessible to new viewers. "It's very rare to have such a smart, strong female character that isn't your typical two dimensional action hero. Karyn, Charlize, Phil and Matt have brought a unique and exciting vision to the screen that's true to Peter Chung's original concept and incorporates many of the original and groundbreaking ideas that were so memorable in the series."

Aeon Flux began life as a series of animated short films on MTV's "Liquid Television." These shorts gave the filmmakers ample inspiration to bring the unique character to life. "The animated Aeon Flux is a provocative, sexy, and acrobatic character - and she isn't bound by the laws of man or nature," Hurd says. "Our challenge was to pay homage to that, to live up to the high bar the series set, while also grounding her in the world that an actress - one of Charlize's talent and considerable flexibility - could play. Aeon is iconic - there's no doubt about that - and it was thrilling to present a living action heroine unlike any other."

"I think what really distinguishes Aeon from a lot of other women in the genre is that she has so much free will; she's so self-determining," says director Karyn Kusama, who previously helmed the indie hit "Girlfight." "The story of 'Aeon Flux' grapples with some of the provocative themes that often inhabit science fiction, and it was important that she read as a complex and morally ambiguous character. Her sexuality, for instance, is just one element of that; very powerful and ultimately unapologetic."

In her first action-heroine role, Theron called upon her unique skills as a ballet dancer to bring the character to life. "I was a ballerina for 12 years - it took me that long to figure out why I loved ballet so much. It wasn't because I liked the technical aspect of it; I liked to get on stage and tell a story. For years, I did that, just using my body. For me, the physical aspect is as important as any line of dialogue."

"No one else could have played the role," says Kusama. "We needed someone who had an incredible physical grace and strength, but not an over-muscular kind of strength. Charlize fit perfectly."

"Charlize made the stunt work an integral part of the character," says Hurd. "Her incredible physicality, due to her training as a dancer, let her create a performance from beginning to end, not only in the dramatic scenes, but in almost every moment of action that you see in the film."

Steeped in the tradition of sci-fi action, Aeon Flux presents a future world where nothing is what it seems. Aeon's assignment is to assassinate Trevor Goodchild, the leader of Bregna, a seemingly utopian future society with no disease, no hunger, and no war. "When you think of sci-fi, you think of a grimy, dirty, overpopulated future - a world in decay. That's not the case in

Aeon Flux - Bregna looks perfect," adds Hurd. "We created imagery that was perfect to look at. Only later do we reveal that it contains the perfect lie."