Just last week we learned that Dino De Laurentiis was hot to produce a new-fangled "female James Bond in outer space" remake of "Barbarella," but it's not exactly a remake, of course. And now it seems that the veteran producer has scored himself a director.

Peter Webber, who went from arthouse ("Girl with a Pearl Earring") to the slaughter house (with next week's "Hannibal Rising") will step in and helm the new version of "Barbarella." The original starred a very young (and rather curvy) Jane Fonda as a trouble-thwarting space-babe ... so obviously we're all ears regarding the next version. (OK, ears and eyeballs.)

That's just about all Variety's got for us, news-wise, thus far. But when that new "Barbarella" is cast, you can trust that I'll let you know. (Is Jennifer Connelly too old for this gig? Gosh I hope not.)