Rodriguez Dumps ‘Barbarella’… Luketic Picks Her Up on the Rebound

When it comes to the sexy sci-fi classic ‘Barbarella’, two things are true… Jane Fonda will ALWAYS be the only “true” Queen of the Galaxy, and the remake will seemingly ALWAYS be in a state of development Hell. After well over a decade of being tossed about between various producers, directors and stars like a hot potato, one has to wonder if it’s even worth following anymore.

Well, following this pipe dream is another one of those things I’ll never be able to give up… for better, or worse. Last month we got the unfortunate and disappointing, yet not entirely surprising news that Robert Rodriguez’s vision of an updated remake of the 1968 original is officially dead.

We, the fans and skeptics alike, can go ahead and chalk this project up as yet another of Rodriguez’s brilliantly baffling brainstorm blunders that never managed to launch from it’s conceptual phase. If I were a gambling man, my money would probably land on ‘Barbarella’ being joined by ‘Red Sonja’ and ‘Predator’ in due time, but I’m not and I’d rather remain an optimist in this arena anyway.

So, as an optimist, I find reassurance in the news that Rodriguez’s departure (allegedly due to a dispute over where to shoot the film, Austin, TX or Germany) does not equivocate to the project’s ultimate demise. Apparently director Robert Luketic is currently discussing tactics with Dino De Laurentis for picking up the project and developing it with another studio.

Universal, the last studio officially attached, had been on board with Rodriguez until his budget supposedly started to resemble an $80 million dollar chunk of their pocket books and they pulled the plug, resulting in Rodriguez seeking alternative financing, the highest of which was the $70 million offer from Germany that he turned down in favor of not being so far from his five kids for so long. Well, at least he’s a good daddy.

Robert Luketic, the potential new helmer, is probably best known for directing ‘Legally Blonde’ and ‘Monster-In-Law’ … is it just me, or are you starting to get that funky after-vomit taste in your mouth as well? Nothing personal against Mr. Luketic, and I actually thought ‘Legally Blonde’ was a fun movie for what it was, but why the sudden interest in THIS project? Is it because you worked with Jane Fonda and found some late-term onset respect and admiration for her early career and want to somehow honor her by remaking the one movie she’s best known for? He’s never done anything even remotely similar to this type of film and my excitement for the remake was due solely to the idea it might be done well. Rodriguez would have delivered. Luketic, on the other hand, has me worried.

[Source: EW.com]