ROTTEN TOMATOES: Universal Dumps Rodriguez's Barbarella Remake

Universal Dumps Rodriguez's Barbarella Remake

Is the culprit money or McGowan?

by Jeff Giles | October 18, 2007

It looks like we'll have to wait a little longer before seeing a 21st century version of Roger Vadim's "21st century girl": Universal has parted ways with Robert Rodriguez's Barbarella remake.

The picture's change of address has been confirmed by all involved -- but if you want to know why it happened, the details are still pretty murky. According to IGN Movies, it was prompted by Universal's cold feet over one of two things: A ballooning budget, or Rodgriguez's decision to cast Rose McGowan in the leading role. From the article:

According to an unnamed source for The New York Observer, "It's sort of embarrassing for everyone involved. ... No one thinks Rose can carry the movie, but Robert won't listen." The paper adds that producer Dino De Laurentiis "wants to back Robert and his vision. But Robert's vision is blurred by Rose." The studio reportedly wants a bigger name star such as Halle Berry or Jessica Alba.

Rodriguez disputes this claim, saying they were "blown over" by McGowan's audition and citing the project's ballooning budget as the reason for Universal's pullout. "Universal had initially signed on for $60 million," Rodriguez explained, "but then when we were done with the script it wound up at closer to $82 million, and they had just financed a Will Ferrell movie [Land of the Lost] that was a $130 million and they even cut that down to $100 million."

Rodriguez tells IGN that Universal is still willing to sign off on a $60 million Barbarella, but he's still holding out for the full $82 million budget. Any takers?

Source: IGN Movies

Related Items

Celeb:	Roger Vadim
	Halle Berry
	Rose McGowan
	Dino De Laurentiis
	Robert Rodriguez
	Jessica Alba

(1-20 of 25 posts) | Reply

LFMartins writes:
on Oct 18 2007 07:38 AM

I like Mr. Rodriguez�s work but there�s no need for this remake.
Go on Mr. Rodriguez,forget this and start working on Sin City 2.

(Reply to this)

FireflyFan4evr writes:
on Oct 18 2007 08:10 AM

Who cares about Barbarella? RR should get back to what he's good at and for what people want - ie. SIN CITY 2. I mean, come one Rob, do you really want two box office bombs in a row? Well you're gonna get just that if you stay on this project. However, I have to commend him on not casting no-talents Halle Berry or Jessica Alba. Alba is just eye candy and nothing more and Berry is just terrible (and old). Besides, since when does a RR film cost more than $40 million?

(Reply to this)

TombstoneLawDog writes:
on Oct 18 2007 08:16 AM

I gotta say that after Planet Terror, I actually have a bit of a jones for Rose McGowan. I'd much rather see her than Halle Berry (never got into her) and even a little more than Alba. McGowan has that 'F#ck you' attitude that kind of makes me want to be stupid.
Though I think the only way to settle this is to dress both McGowan and Alba up in the Barbarella bikini and let them fight it out in a tub of crisco. It's the way they did it in the old days, it's the way it was meant to be done.
And when they're resting between rounds, Rodriguez should get the h#ll back to Sin City 2.

(Reply to this)

boomstick8283 writes:
on Oct 18 2007 08:38 AM

I'd love to know the name of the studio exec that did this so I can commend him for having the sense to see something that other people are starting to wake up to: Rodriguez is a hack that can't make anything other than 1970s retreads or "Desperado" movies. "Sin City" was atrocious and annoying. And the "Spy Kids" films were PG-rated horror shows of hackneyed filmmaking and corny acting. And after all of this sacrilage, the only idea this over-paid jack-*** can come up with is to re-make a bad film from the 1960s? He lost his Director's Guild card, bombed out with "Grindhouse, I think it's safe to say that Rodriguez has a questionable decision-making process. Maybe I'm wrong. I don't mean to polarize; I wish that truly bad filmmakers like Tarantino and him were held accountable for their actions, especially when they command multi-million dollar budgets, and the lives of hundreds of people depend on whatever comes out of their misguided imaginations.

(Reply to this)

GravitaZ writes:
on Oct 18 2007 08:44 AM

As far as I'm concerned McGowan > Alba. Alba is too skinny now to be the curvy Barbarella. WGAS about this movie anyway. How could the budget for this movie be $82 million????? It wouldn't make more than $20 mill at the box office. Good idea stuidos.

(Reply to this)

BrianInSD writes:
on Oct 18 2007 10:06 AM

In reply to this comment (#1201172)
Technically speaking, Rodriguez didn't "lose" his Director's Guild card. He resigned from the DGA because their rules wouldn't allow him to credit Tarantino as "Special Guest Director" on Sin City. He's not the first one to resign from the DGA over their byzantine rules: George Lucas resigned from the guild after they fined him for not putting credits at the beginning of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back.

(Reply to this)

Young Turk writes:
on Oct 18 2007 10:20 AM

If he makes Barbarella with Rose Mcgowan I think I might need a private screening.....

(Reply to this)

Holly Jolly writes:
on Oct 18 2007 10:34 AM

If Robert really needs a 82 million dollar budget it is because in another director's hands it would cost 150 million. Fire the Bond writers who don't know the meaning of self control and just let Robert write it himself for a budget of 50 or 60 million.

Halle Berry? Really? They want Miss Catwoman and Perfect Stranger because she brings in LESS money than even Grindhouse did? Lame.

(Reply to this)

Bigbrother writes:
on Oct 18 2007 10:37 AM

Now I love Will Ferrell, but is Land of the Lost really budgeted at 100 Million? Seriously? Those must be some amped up Sleestaks.

(Reply to this)

rgallitan writes:
on Oct 18 2007 10:56 AM

Wait a second... Robert Rodriguez needs more money to make a movie? ROBERT RODRIGUEZ??? I think a little part of me just died...

But McGowan is worth fighting for. For one thing, while her fanbase may be small, they are rabid and they are probably the only kind of people who are going to see this movie anyway. For another, projects like this are perfect for stuffing movie stars into the sidelines. Find some modern Alec Guinesses and Marlon Brandos and give them some juicy supporting roles. Viola!

(Reply to this)

dethburger writes:
on Oct 18 2007 11:16 AM

Hey Boomstick, Sin City Rocked!!

As for Grindhouse, I think RR's fans loved it. (as did myself) Since you obviously are not a fan of Robert Rodriguez, or QT for that matter, why are you even here?

Trolling perhaps?

(Reply to this)

moviemonkey2 writes:
on Oct 18 2007 12:14 PM

LMAO Halle Berry? Seriously? ha ha ha ha ha

On a serious note though, I gotta agree with rgallitan. Since when did Robert Rodriguez need a budget? But then again, since when did Barbarella need a remake?

(Reply to this)

moviemonkey2 writes:
on Oct 18 2007 12:24 PM

LMAO Halle Berry? Seriously? ha ha ha ha ha

On a serious note though, I gotta agree with rgallitan. Since when did Robert Rodriguez need a budget? But then again, since when did Barbarella need a remake?

(Reply to this)

Chim writes:
on Oct 18 2007 01:12 PM

"The studio reportedly wants a bigger name star such as Halle Berry or Jessica Alba."

I hope Jessica Simpson's in the running as well.

(Reply to this)

Holly Jolly writes:
on Oct 18 2007 02:02 PM

In reply to this comment (#1201470)
Though with Robert I would assume more quality action Jessica Simpson would actually play the part pretty well if it is to be anything like the original. I have never seen a more 'dumb blonde' character.

(Reply to this)

the-russian writes:
on Oct 18 2007 02:05 PM

Screw Barbarella and screw Sin City 2, he should take over the talked about Preacher and save that from MSJ.

(Reply to this)

ManofStee1 writes:
on Oct 18 2007 02:14 PM

For God's sake just give us Sin City 2. And then Preacher. That would please me.

(Reply to this)

mjolson20 writes:
on Oct 18 2007 02:38 PM

SIN CITY 2!

(Reply to this)

CoUcH ToMaToE DoUgIe writes:
on Oct 18 2007 10:57 PM

sin city 2 just add rose mcgowan there and hopefullt that wll fufill his

fantasy with rose. jeez, and i didn't know this thread was the rose mcgowan fan club but

wow! hey, i get the same vibe from her whether its in charmed or grindhouse, she's that

nasty type of hot that angelina used to be before she started saving the world. and

hey this movie may be too good for rose at this point. i mean she does have some talent

and hey i think she deserves better. for you guys in love her, just root for her to be

in sin city 2 and then everyone wins. and please stop the rodriguez hating, please.

hellboy, sin city, spy kids all rocked. forget barbella focus on hellboy and sin city

sequels.

(Reply to this)

CoUcH ToMaToE DoUgIe writes:
on Oct 18 2007 11:14 PM

In reply to this comment (#1202334)
i know i know just realized my error. del toro did hellboy not r.r.!

sorry mr. del toro, didn't mean not to credit you on hellboy. sorry, damn it must

have been channeling some of jesic alba's acting ability fumes in my brain, and that

really kills the brain cells. jessica simpson fumes kill instantly;

(Reply to this)

Related Links

Barbarella

Related Articles

Most Discussed

Latest News

Latest Interviews

Latest Features

Sponsored Links