When we look at the science fiction cinema of decades past, there are some strange films to be discovered. Where the Lie Falls star Sydney Sweeney wants to remake one of the most bizarre.
1968 was a big year for science fiction cinema. Stanley Kubrick brought his monumental 2001: A Space Odyssey to the big screen. Franklin J. Schaffner told the story of Planet of the Apes. And then there was a very strange space adventure that went completely against the serious, gloomy character of the aforementioned genre colleagues: Barbarella.
From the extreme sexualization of the title character to the unconventional production design: Barbarella has burned itself into the memory of pop culture like few other science fiction films and has been the subject of heated debate. Many film fans now see the space bizarro as a camp masterpiece. No wonder Hollywood has been trying to get a remake off the ground for years
Multiple failed sci-fi reboot: Syndey Sweeney confirms that her Barbarella film is still coming
A new version of Barbarella was announced in October 2022. At the time, the casting in particular caused a stir: Sydney Sweeney, who was last seen in theaters in Where the Lie Falls and Madame Web, was to take on the lead role. Since then, however, the project has gone frighteningly quiet
(Sydney Sweeney in Reality)
Josh Horowitz has also noticed this. In the latest edition of his podcast Happy Sad Confused he therefore asked Sweeney directly. Sweeney, who rose to prominence with the HBO hit Euphoria, gives a hopeful update: Yes, the Barbarella remake is still in development.
Sweeney also talks about what appeals to her about the role:
‘It’s a lot of fun to explore a character like Barbarella. She really embraces her femininity and sexuality. I love that. She uses sex as a weapon. And I think that’s a very interesting way into a sci-fi world. I’ve always wanted to do sci-fi. So let’s see what happens.
Sweeney has been working towards the Barbarella role for a long time. In an interview with GQ last week, she revealed that the main reason she accepted the flopped Marvel blockbuster Madame Web was to build a relationship with Sony, the studio now producing Barbarella.
Sweeney stated:
‘For me, [Madame Web] was a building block through which I was able to build a relationship with Sony. Without Madame Web, I wouldn’t have a connection to the decision makers there. My career decisions are not just about the stories [of the movies], but also about strategic business decisions. Because I made [Madame Web], I was able to sell Where the Lie Falls. I was able to get Barbarella.
Now we can look forward to seeing how Barbarella will be modernized for a new generation with Sweeney in the lead role. Horowitz touches on it briefly in his podcast: Despite many iconic moments, gender roles were completely different in 1968 than they are today. There are likely to be some changes here compared to the original.
Sweeney doesn’t reveal too much about the direction of the new Barbarella film. A look at the history books shows that Hollywood is clearly reluctant to remake the material. Robert Rodriguez failed back in 2007, before directors such as Robert Luketic and Nicolas Winding Refn threw in the towel
