Sony Pictures’ upcoming remake of 70s sci-fi shlock staple “Barbarella” may be getting a pretty perfect director. Actress Sydney Sweeney (“Euphoria,” “The White Lotus“) will star, and is also serving as executive producer. But the news today is a possible director and writer attached to the project.
Edgar Wright is reportedly circling the film. He would be wonderfully suited for this kind of project given his previous work. His “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” was a fantastic adaptation of the graphic novel series, and “Barbarella” was originally a French adult comic. His Cornetto Trilogy (and “Baby Driver” ) show his talent for comedy and stylized action. And obviously “Last Night in SoHo” brought an entirely new side to his filmography. There’s not a lot of other names that could potentially navigate this as well as he could.
“Barbarella” is the kind of film that seeks refuge in its audacity. It blends sci-fi campiness with brazen sexuality, and is over-the-top, despite trying to play itself seriously. It’s all of these things along with Jane Fonda‘s acting and sex appeal that make the movie something truly unique. Not to mention, the villainous scientist Durand-Durand is responsible for giving us one of the greatest bands of all time. Trying to remake a movie like that should be near impossible, but it seems Sony may have found the right combination of writer and director.
Jane Goldman may pen the script with her daughter, Honey Ross. Goldman has worked extensively in the past with writer/director Matthew Vaughn, penning scripts for films like “Kick-Ass,” and the first two films in the “Kingsman” franchise.
The combination of writer and director has the require synergy that could lift this project from being just another remake, to something that could further the legacy of the original film. And just to show how much Sweeney wants this project to come together, she went through the dumpster fire that was “Madame Web” in order to make this happen. (“Madame Web” is currently streaming on Netflix.)
Hopefully that makes “Barbarella” all that much more worthwhile when it gets around to hopefully being made. We’ll let you know what we hear about this and other news.
