| Release Date: | TBA |
| Cast: | Rose McGowan as Barberella |
| Director: | Robert Rodriguez |
| Screen Writer(s): | Neal Purvis and Robert Wade |
| Official Site: | TBA |
| Trailers: | None |
| Status: | Script Stage |
| Synopsis/Plot: | Barbarella tells the story of a female mercenary who roams across the universe in a distant future, undertaking missions that require her physical fearlessness, ingenuity and sensuality. In travels that span galaxies known and unknown, Barbarella will challenge tradition, startle the senses and take audiences on an epic adventure of discovery and wonder. |
| News and Rumors: |
April 14, 2008: Last August it was revealed that Rose McGowan was set to star in Robert Rodriguez's Barbarella remake at Universal Pictures. But then rumors began over budget issues and that the studio didn't want McGowan in the role. Wrong, she tells MTV. "[The news that I was out] was really irritating because I know all the people over there and obviously it wasn't true. It was very malicious and there was no proof. Oftentimes these things have basis in truth but this didn't. I have contracts to prove it." She added that half of the sets have been built and the costumes are done. She's "even got my spaceships. I've got part of a spaceship built for me!" The hold up at the moment? The possible Screen Actors Guild strike in June. Source: Superherohype
May 25, 2007: Robert Rodriguez (Planet Terror, Sin City, Spy Kids, El Mariachi) will direct Barbarella, a new motion picture adaptation of the classic science-fiction comic book series, it was announced today by producers Dino and Martha De Laurentiis. Universal Pictures will distribute the film, which will be released worldwide in 2008. Barbarella tells the story of a female mercenary who roams across the universe in a distant future, undertaking missions that require her physical fearlessness, ingenuity and sensuality. In travels that span galaxies known and unknown, Barbarella will challenge tradition, startle the senses and take audiences on an epic adventure of discovery and wonder. Barbarella made her debut in 1962 in a French graphic magazine written and illustrated by Jean-Claude Forest, and her adventures have been published around the world. The first film version, starring Jane Fonda and also produced by Dino De Laurentiis, was released in 1968. "Dino De Laurentiis came to me and said: '"Barbarella" is a world where you are completely free to unleash all your fantasies, creativity and imagination -- where the possibilities are limitless,'" commented Robert Rodriguez. "I love this iconic character and all that she represents, and I'm truly excited by the challenge of inviting a new audience into her universe." "Barbarella is the ultimate science-fiction adventure heroine: smart, strong and sexy," said Dino De Laurentiis. "In our vision, the future is female, and I can't wait to introduce 'Barbarella' to a new generation of moviegoers." Rodriguez is working with writers Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, who are developing a completely original adventure for Barbarella. Purvis and Wade co-wrote the phenomenally successful Casino Royale and have recently finished work on the next installment in the James Bond franchise, James Bond 22. "When we decided to take 'Barbarella' on again," noted Martha De Laurentiis, "we wanted the film to play as a big, legitimately exciting adventure in space, but we also know that the character of Barbarella is grounded in a very specific reality. Balancing those aspects requires a very deft hand. With Robert directing and Neal and Robert writing, we feel like we have the dream team in place."
April 13, 2007: Variety reports that producers Dino and Martha De Laurentiis have completed a rights deal that will allow them to reinvent Barbarella, and the producers have set Casino Royale screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade to pen the script. The original 1968 Roger Vadim-directed fantasy was produced by De Laurentiis, who wrote the check to secure Purvis and Wade. De Laurentiis recently completed a film rights acquisition deal with Julien Forest, the son of Jean-Claude Forest, author of the French comic book series on which the film was based. The deal, made with Hollywood Comics principal Jean-Marc Lofficier and French agent Laurie Roy, calls for the reissue of the first two Barbarella books in concert with the feature, along with the publication of material that previously hadn't been translated into English. "Barbarella is the ultimate science-fiction adventure heroine: smart, strong funny and sexy," De Laurentiis said. "I'm excited to reintroduce Barbarella to a new generation of moviegoers." In the original film, Jane Fonda played the title character as a kittenish sexpot. In the remake, the writers will make Barbarella a free, modern gal who survives in a futuristic world through her intelligence, fighting skills and sexuality. The Casino Royale writers just turned in their draft for the 22nd installment of the Bond franchise and will make Barbarella their next project. - Thanks to 'Superherohype' for the news!
February 5, 2007: Variety has a follow-up on last week's news saying that Hannibal Rising director Peter Webber will helm the new version of Barbarella for producer Dino De Laurentiis. "Female James Bond -- in outer space," is how De Laurentiis described the project. Barbarella will shoot at Morocco's CLA studios. -Thanks to 'Superherohype' for the heads up!
January 30, 2007: As reported on DarkHorizons: "That acid trip of a sci-fi movie "Barbarella" is making a come back. Jane Fonda faced the hazards of Zero-G stripping, killer dolls and the killer orgasm machine of scientist Durand Durand in the classic 1968 cheese fest. Now out promoting his new film "Hannibal Rising", legendary film producer Dino De Laurentiis confirmed to NBC30 that he's creating a new franchise with the character. De Laurentiis quickly stated up front that the new film is "not a remake of 'Barbarella"' but "a completely new 'Barbarella.'" At present no-one has been cast in the project, and the script is being worked on right now and will incorporate "love, sex, [and] adventure".
May 27, 2005: A source for Cinescape bumped into Lindsay Lohan at Tower on Sunset this morning and asked what she's doing and she said 'Mission Impossible 3' with Tom Cruise and then a remake of an old Jane Fonda movie called 'Barbarella.'" "And my music," she giggled.
October 15, 2003: Screenwriter John August, who wrote two Barbarella spec scripts for producer/star Drew Barrymore, told SCI FI Wire that the project is back on after a hiatus of two years. "I went through two drafts about two years ago, between the first Charlie's [Angels] and the second Charlie's," August said in an interview. "I got busy, and then Drew got busy, and Laura Ziskin, the other producer, got busy. And we all went our separate ways. So we're just now coming back together and figuring out what we have and what kind of movie we want to make." Thanks to Superherohype.com
March 5, 2003: From Sci-Fi Wire: Drew Barrymore told SCI FI Wire that her proposed remake of the 1968 French SF movie Barbarella is moving through development and is currently in the screenwriting stage. "Barbarella is being written as we speak by our dear, beloved friend John August, who writes our Charlie's Angels movies," Barrymore said in an interview at the premiere of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial--The 20th Anniversary. "We're full steam ahead on it. We're just writing it right now, and we're doing a couple films first, so we will have to do that afterwards".
