Saturday, April 21, 2007

"Do You Want To Come Play With Me?"

I know this news has been out there for over a week now...Feel free to file this one under "Better Late Than Never"...

The cult classic Barbarella is on track to take the remake route back to the big screen...



The IGN Staff tells the tale:

The long-in-development remake of Barbarella is getting new life courtesy of Casino Royale screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. The James Bond scripters have been hired by producers Dino and Martha De Laurentiis to pen a new draft of the sexy sci-fi flick.

According to Variety, De Laurentiis recently purchased the film rights from Julien Forest, the son of Jean-Claude Forest author of the French comic book series on which the original Jane Fonda flick was based. The first two Barbarella comic books will be re-released in tandem with the new movie, along with previously untranslated to English material.

"Barbarella is the ultimate science-fiction adventure heroine: smart, strong funny and sexy," De Laurentiis told the trade. "I'm excited to reintroduce Barbarella to a new generation of moviegoers."

The new movie will not be a send-up of the campy original, but a straight-up story of a modern woman who survives in a futuristic world through her intelligence, fighting skills and sexuality.

De Laurentiis reportedly chose Purvis and Wade to adapt the flick because he liked the way they updated Ian Fleming Casino Royale. Incidentally, Variety adds that the screenwriting duo has just completed their script for Bond 22.

...We're now hearing that Lindsay Lohan's name is being tossed around [as a possibility for the title role]...

Despite my dubious nature towards film remakes in general--I must say I'm curious to see what could happen with this--A camp-free version sounds intriguing. The original is a fun ride, to be sure, but a more strict interpretation of the source material is the right way to go here. I know Lindsay Lohan is just talk but I think the troubled young actress would make a terrible choice as the flick's headliner. How about Bond Gal Eva Green instead.

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