New “Barbarella” Slowly Coming Together

The late ’60s provided just the right go-go girl/kitten with a laser gun look for Barbarella. 

It seems like people have been talking about a remake of the 1968 Jane Fonda movie “Barbarella” forever. Most recently, Robert Rodriguez was supposed to have been working on a version that would star his then-girlfriend Rose McGowan. But despite all the chatter, nothing seemed to go anywhere with the project, and eventually Rodriguez was no longer associated with it (and I think he and McGowan broke up anyway–confirmation, gossip mavens?).

Now The Hollywood Reporter says there is actual progress–writer Joe Gazzam has been hired to work on a “Barbarella” script. Robert Luketic is set to direct.

“Barbarella” debuted in 1962 in a French graphic magazine. The stories were written and illustrated by Jean-Claude Forest. Barbarella was “a female mercenary who roams the universe of a distant future, undertaking missions that require fearlessness, ingenuity and sensuality.” Supposedly the new version will not be a campy snickering look at the original, but more of an action film–though the sensuality part will apparently not be neglected.

The original movie itself isn’t very good, so there’s no reason not to remake it. However, it will be tough for any actress to step into the boots of Jane Fonda’s sci-fi sex kitten portrayal. Iconic is not too big a word for the film’s S&M club in swinging London style. If I woke up tomorrow looking like Fonda in “Barbarella,” I’d feel pretty good. I have a feeling that’s not happening, though.