ROTTEN TOMATOES: Your New "Barbarella" is...Halle Berry?

Your New "Barbarella" is...Halle Berry?

by Jeff Giles | July 10, 2007

If you've been viewing the periodic news burbles about producer Dino de Laurentiis' long-planned remake of "Barbarella" with suspicion, you're in good company. Heck, at one point, Drew Barrymore was supposedly being considered for the role, and that's just silly. Oh, and speaking of silly? Entertainmentwise is reporting that the new 'rella will be none other than -- wait for it -- Halle Berry.

Not only was the 1968 original a cult classic that wasn't exactly begging for a new coat of paint, but various parties have been threatening to put a new "Barbarella" together for years.

From a certain point of view, this (as-yet unsubstantiated) report is scoff-worthy -- Berry is an Oscar-winning actress, not the kind of script-gobbling doofus that would willingly sign up for this kind of project. Then again, the new "Barbarella" has a pretty good pedigree -- it's being written by "Casino Royale" scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, and directed by Robert Rodriguez. We also can't forget (try as we might) Berry's post-Oscar involvement in noteworthy turkeys such as "Perfect Stranger," "Gothika," and, of course, "Catwoman."

So, yeah, this piece of news strikes us as a crazy idea, and one that will likely be refuted by the appropriate parties in short order...but it might just be crazy enough to be true, which would totally appeal to our love of the perverse. Not enough to actually see the movie, but still.

Source: Entertainmentwise, JoBlo

Related Items

Celeb:	Halle Berry
	Dino De Laurentiis
	Robert Rodriguez
	Neal Purvis
	Robert Wade

(1-20 of 33 posts) | Reply

evanset6 writes:
on Jul 10 2007 11:09 AM

[b]FIRST!![/b]
Does anyone really even care about this movie?

(Reply to this)

bigbrother writes:
on Jul 10 2007 11:15 AM

You'd think Halle's experiences would have driven her more towards Monsters Balls and farther away from Catmomen and other cringe inducing movies like this one appears to be. If they try to make this anything like the original in anything but name it's hopeless.

(Reply to this)

Jen Yamato writes:
on Jul 10 2007 11:22 AM

In reply to this comment (#912171)
Um...yeah, I care! I LOVE the original, and if Robert Rodriguez wasn't involved I'd boycott altogether. It's borderline blasphemy to even think about remaking Barbarella. And if this casting rumor is even remotely somewhat close to being true...I'll vomit. And then cry. And maybe vomit again.

(Reply to this)

cgcbooks writes:
on Jul 10 2007 11:35 AM

I would rather Jane Fonda play the part again than have Halle Barry do it.

(Reply to this)

falconhero writes:
on Jul 10 2007 11:55 AM

i mean ... eye candy?

(Reply to this)

Vitamin M writes:
on Jul 10 2007 12:59 PM

This seems like a step up for Halle berry over her recent films.
But still I think they would do better with Rose Mogowan or some other voluptious yet semi unknown. Berry brings a lot of bagage and I for one think she's much better at drama then at tongue in cheek humor or action.

I enjoyed the idea of Scarlet Johanson taking the role ( some rumor I read awhile back...I think it had something more to do with the Amazon woman film she was rumored to be starring in).

(Reply to this)

moviemonkey2 writes:
on Jul 10 2007 01:07 PM

I like Robert Rodriguez's stuff, but if Halle Berry is in it, it won't be worth watching.

(Reply to this)

scarythecruel writes:
on Jul 10 2007 01:45 PM

I think its interesting...Barbarella is straight up cheese, but on purpose. Rodriguez is a master of that. And after Catwoman, I think Berry would be just fine, lol. That movie sucked because it tried to be serious. She is hot enough IMO to play the part. And if she tried to have fun with it, it could turn out kinda cool.

(Reply to this)

AstroZombie138 writes:
on Jul 10 2007 02:04 PM

Meh. I think we can do better...

Rosario Dawson, anyone? Rodriguez seems to be fond of her, and I think she'd look way more bad-ass than Berry.

(Reply to this)

arendr writes:
on Jul 10 2007 02:05 PM

It's funny. Halle Berry is a fair enough actress...but she can't seem to pick a decent script. Jen's right though. Rodriguez gives this a chance.

(Reply to this)

FireflyFan4evr writes:
on Jul 10 2007 02:51 PM

I don't think anyone really cares about this film except for the producer. And Halle Berry? Why? She's getting up there in age, and I just can't see her as a long-legged heroine.

(Reply to this)

BuckyUnderbelly writes:
on Jul 10 2007 02:54 PM

[b]Oh, boy. This can't end well.[/b]
I just can't figure out why we need to remake this movie? Sure, the original's a cult classic, but there's really no way this can end well.

First, this ain't the 60's. Barbarella is very much a movie of its time. It couldn't have come from any other decade. It's a perfect case of the right movie at the right time. All the right forces came together. But this kind of movie isn't likely to fly in today's market. I don't know if it's because audience's tastes have changed over the years, but INTENTIONALLY campy movies have had a terrible track record in the last 20 or so years. They never seem to find much of an audience. (Certainly UNintentional camp masterpieces -- like Showgirls -- have done better.)

And second, let's remind ourselves what "cult classic" means. By definition, it means the movie failed. It means the movie didn't find wide, mainstream appeal. A cult classic is a niche movie that's found a small group of devoted fans. Let's remember ... this is today's Hollywood we're talking about, folks. These people aren't looking for a small, but devoted, audience. They're looking for a $30 million opening weekend. That's why they'd go after a movie star like Halle Berry. If they're going to spend $40, $50, $60 million to make a big budget special effects movie ... they're gonna want at least twice that back in box office receipts.

What does that mean? Well, unfortunately, it means they're gonna change everything about the original that the cult fans love ... so they can make it more mainstream ... so it can appeal to the widest possible audience ... so they can make money.

And in the end, you're going to be left with a movie with the same TITLE as the original, but none of the flavor. It'll be a forgettable, flavorless, PC-sanitized, girl power, PG-13 waste of time. Sad, but true.

Oh, and Halle Berry is a terrible actress. By the way. Yes, she has an Oscar, but let's be honest, it's a Most-Improved-Actress Oscar. It's a great performance ... FOR HER. But objectively, it's nowhere near as powerful a performance as somebody else could have given. (I'm still mad at Angela Bassett for passing on that one.) Yes, Halle's a stunningly beautiful woman, but I fear she will take herself (and her Oscar) far too seriously to have any kind of fun with a role like Barbarella. After all, she still seems to think Catwoman was all about female empowerment ... and not about a smokin-hot sexpot in a leather bikini struttin' her stuff and shakin' her potatoes. Apparently nobody told her.

But maybe I'm just a cynic.

(Reply to this)

Donnie Drunko writes:
on Jul 10 2007 04:35 PM

[b]Just wondering why[/b]
If your Title to the article is Your New "Barbarella" is...Halle Berry? Why you use a set up sentence to build mystery to the answer by saying this...Entertainmentwise is reporting that the new 'rella will be none other than -- wait for it -- Halle Berry. You could have left the wait for it out since it was covered in the title. By the way I think she will make an awful Rella...Rose McGowan would be a better choice.

(Reply to this)

dagreenman18 writes:
on Jul 10 2007 04:49 PM

[b]Meh, i would have preferred......[/b]
either Scarlet Johanson or one of the Jessicas. Maybe Jessica Simpson for the camp factor. Halle Berry just seems off considering the source material.

(Reply to this)

dracus writes:
on Jul 10 2007 05:02 PM

A Barbarella remake is right up there with Speed Racer in my books.
Both are about as appealing as James Blunt squeaking out You're Beautiful.

(Reply to this)

sharpless writes:
on Jul 10 2007 05:10 PM

That's a fucking atrocious thought. They'd better not do this.

(Reply to this)

jmo2ski writes:
on Jul 10 2007 06:43 PM

[b]This could be her big return[/b]
I mean think about it, Halle Berry doesn't mind showing a little skin (as we have seen in many of her movies), but this could be her big comeback. Just think, Robert rodrigues is over the project, and on top of that, the script is written by professionals. Unlike the other films, this could be Halle's big opportunity to show the world that she can act and pick movies.

(Reply to this)

rgallitan writes:
on Jul 10 2007 06:50 PM

In reply to this comment (#919766)
Many good points, especially the last paragraph. Monster's Ball was some kind of fluke. Some bizarre, magical spark between actress, character and director. I have never seen Berry perform more than tolerably in any other movie. It's amazing how she's managed to hide under her worthless credits, allowing her poor performances to be blamed on "poor choice of movies." A truly talented actress can shine even in the crap. Just look at Michelle Pfeiffer's catwoman (not that Batman Returns was crap - but the script certainly wasn't half as good as the people bringing it to life).

As for Barbarella, I fear you're right about Hollywood homogenization. On the other hand, when news of this remake first appeared, I said there were only two ways it could work - give it to Roland Emmerich, or give it to Robert Rodriquez. I now wish to add Frank Miller to the list, but it doesn't matter. That piece of the puzzle has fallen into place. So, pending final choice of lead actress, I continue to be excited despite myself.

(Reply to this)

RottenTomatoes.com