Fresh off reaching back into the cinematic past for purposes of affectionate homage in Grindhouse, director Robert Rodriguez will helm producer Dino De Laurentiis’ remake of Barbarella for Universal, Variety is reporting, with Casino Royale
partners Neal Purvis and Robert Wade handling scripting duties. “I love
this iconic character and all that she represents,” says Rodriguez,
“and I’m truly
excited by the challenge of inviting a new audience into her universe.”

The other quote used in the Variety piece is boilerplate De Laurentiis — he’s been wandering about saying “the future is female” since at least the Hannibal Rising press day — but also indicative of the fact that this version will make its own way in the world, and not feel compelled to conform to past source material, in either the form of the (in)famous 1968 Jane Fonda film or the French comic book.

In speaking with De Laurentiis about casting for movie — which I did earlier this year — it’s clear that he has a jones for Angelina Jolie, but if she can’t be had (and frankly, why would she?), don’t be surprised to see them turn to an up-and-comer with presumed pan-ethnic appeal, someone like Eva Mendes. All in all, though, this movie doesn’t feel like it has the firmest foundation, and not merely because of the disappointing box office grosses of Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino’s Grindhouse. As Aeon Flux and the second Tomb Raider film demonstrated, there’s a certain ceiling on anonymous female mercenary/action pics. The va-voom factor still doesn’t compensate for the fact that some diehard genre fans won’t turn out for these types of movies without a guy in the lead.