Sydney Sweeney's Barbarella, a remake of the 1960s Jane Fonda-starring cult classic sci-fi film, is close to landing its director as reports indicated that Edgar Wright is in talks to helm the project.
Wright is the director of films such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World's End, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Baby Driver, and Last Night in Soho. Wright also has writing credits on 2011's The Adventures of Tintin and 2015's Ant-Man (which he almost directed but departed due to creative differences with Marvel Studios).
Barbarella would mark another massive step forward in Sweeney's career as it indicates that the studios -- in this case, Sony Pictures, the studio behind her recent films Anyone But You and Madame Web -- believe she's now a big enough star to feature in what they'll surely hope is a sci-fi tentpole franchise.
"Not much is known about this version, but the 1968 pic directed by Roger Vadim follows an astronaut from the 41st century who sets out to find and stop the evil scientist Durand Durand, whose Positronic Ray threatens to bring evil back into the galaxy."
"The studio and Wright have strong ties going back to his box-office hit Baby Driver, and the tone Sony and Sweeney are going for with this project fall in line with the fun and creative visual style the director is known for." [via Deadline]
While Barbarella was not initially a box office success, it's become a cult film in the decades since, particularly due to its cinematography and set design.
Earlier this month, it was also reported that Sweeney would be starring in a biopic about famed female boxer Christy Martin from director David Michôd, which is a role that Sweeney says she'll be "transforming her body" for.
In addition to Barbarella and her upcoming Christy Martin movie, Sweeney's upcoming projects also include the films Echo Valley and Eden (which co-stars fellow modern-day sex symbol Ana de Armas), and the eventual third season of HBO's Euphoria, which is the show that helped spark Sweeney's rise up Hollywood's A list.
