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Beware… The article below includes some rather mean spirited gossip regarding Rose McGowan. We are posting this because in it Robert Rodriguez discusses Universal Studios’ decision to back out from backing Barbarella. He also talks about his reasons for casting Rose in the title role, finally confirming that it actually belongs to her! Now, lets just hope that another studio will back this picture and fully support Robert’s true vision!
Sin City director Robert Rodriguez is letting his heart get in the way of his better judgment with his forthcoming big-budget remake of Barbarella, a source with knowledge of the production told the Transom.
Universal Studios has backed out of backing the movie, whose budget the source pegged at nearly $100 million, because Mr. Rodriguez has insisted on casting his new fiancé, Rose McGowan, in the lead role, famously played by Jane Fonda in the 1968 original directed by Ms. Fonda’s then-husband, Roger Vadim.
The movie depicts a futuristic astronaut who travels the galaxy, seductively conquering everything in her path. More famous names floated for the part included Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry and Jessica Alba.
“It’s sort of embarrassing for everyone involved,†the source said. “No one thinks Rose can carry the movie, but Robert won’t listen.â€
The film’s executive producer, Dino De Laurentiis, an Academy Award winner who produced Mr. Vadim’s Barbarella, is keeping mum on the matter, the source said. “He’s technically independent but has a strong connection to Universal. He wants to back Robert and his vision. But Robert’s vision is blurred by Rose.â€
Universal’s initial excitement about the project had prompted reports that the movie would be fast-tracked for release in 2008. Indeed, the studio was so excited about the film that upon discovering Mr. Rodriguez’s nepotistic casting preference it came back with a second offer to fund Barbarella with an amount significantly below the original—in the double-digit millions, said the source. Apparently many of those involved have unsuccessfully tried to persuade Mr. Rodriguez to see his way beyond his curvaceous fiancée, best known for her role in the TV series Charmed.
But the director is sticking by his number-one chica, the source said, and with Ms. McGowan billed to fill Fonda’s thigh-high boots, the studio is afraid the box office simply wouldn’t stand up to the investment.
Mr. Rodriguez denied this, claiming the issue was simply one of budget. “Universal had initially signed on for $60 million,†he told the Transom, “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 that was a $130 million and they even cut that down to $100.â€
He said Universal would still be happy to fund the picture for $60 million, but that he was shopping it around to other studios in the hopes of getting more money. Mr. Rodriguez is known for his ability to make movies cheaply, but believes it will be difficult with Barbarella since much of the film takes place in outer space, and “we don’t want the movie to look like the original,†he said.
The director alleges that the people at Universal were in fact thrilled with Ms. McGowan’s screen test, “blown over,†as he put it. “They said, ‘What are we looking at?’†Mr. Rodriguez said. “She looks fantastic in the role. … She was perfect for this part. She just has that daring look, a sort of classic sexiness that is also kind of futuristic.â€
His bodacious Barbarella vision came to him while flipping through the trades one morning with his fiancée at his side. “I asked Rose, I said, ‘Would you be interested in doing this?’ And she said, ‘Oh, we’d rock that shit so hard.’†Mr. Rodriguez said. “And I said, ‘Well, that sounds like a lot of fun.’â€
Reps for Mr. De Laurentiis and Universal had no comment.
Source: The New York Observer
pls Rose,Robert you need to say something!
PLS i am so mad about the crap is going on about them
it’s just not fair and it is really stupid
if they won’t say smtg ,i will seriously
Hmm is the Universale/Weinstein’s fully associated with Dimension? I’d hope they would pick it up! They have done several of Robert’s films in the past and we all know Rose was a Dimension girl at one point 
Gosh I just hope someone will get it, I desperately need to see Rose McGowan again on the big screen. I really hope this won’t fall through like Black Oasis seems to have
re: roserocks – i sort of agree. though i respect that, to date, they seem to want to keep their private life just that … i hate seeing the way people are trashing her since the rumors or romance first began.
my decade’s long fandom for rose aside, i think she would be amazing in this role. her comedic quirks and amazing style are perfect for this role like nothing else, especially under the direction of someone like robert. put any of the a-listers previously mentioned behind the project and it would just come out this big flashy joke of a mess … whereas, if this project comes to fruition, i know it will be anything but otherwise! so my fingers are crossed.
yeah well thats gay becuase i don’t think a remake of barberella would even be worth watching if rose mgowan wasn’t in it. Atleast she’s an actress with depth and they seem to just want to cast a one dimentional ditzy actress instead. Just goes to show univeral studios don’t care about talent anymore definatley won’t be watching it if mcgowans not in it.
yea i agree. i think rose is perfect for the part and i would really like to see her on the big screen again!! i wish everyone would stop bashing her too. ever since she and robert started this romance, it seems like more and more ppl have been rose haters. not me though!! i love rose!
Wow I think there is allways a lot of controversy behind Rose proyects… But I also think she can fit very well on this role, maybe is true that the, you know the big ones on this things on Hollywood, are worried about giving such a big role to an actress that haven´t made many big producctions and that, and this is real, aren´t so famous like Jessica Alba for example. Otherwise, I don´t think that the fear of Rose was so big, but Miss McGowan has a scaring side…. don`t?
I read from Mycah’s post that the movie BLACK OASIS is not going to be picking up, is that true? The film is cancelled? So bad…
Please if anyone have any reliable information please post it witn an answer…
I think Rose would be perfect for the part. I can understand why they would want a Halle Berry or Nicole Kidman, but c’mon….Rose McGowan is NOT box office poison….and the rumours flying around about “plastic surgery”….what b.s. – Im sure half of Hollywood has had something done wether they admit it or not. Rose has the part….that’s all that matters. And hopefully some studio picks up the movie soon!!!!
BLACK OASIS is cancelled??????????????
I still don’t get why they want to cast like Halle Berry, Nicole kidman and Jessica Alba. i mean they are just proving they think the only thing that sells a movie is a famous cast which is waaayyy not true . as someone has already said catwoman , yeah what a blunder. As for Jessica Alba i’m a big fan of hers but even i can say she still wouldn’t fit the role as well as rose mcgowan in my opinoin that is.and she’s also not that famous not untill recently . Her best and most famous role was Dark Angel and even then her big break only came really in sin city becuase someone took a chance on her . In away people aren’t allowing Rose mgowean to get really famous becuase they won’t give her a chance like they have done with jessical alba and many other actresses etc etc . i definatley think if more people had the opportunity to see rose mcgowans films and see her in more big screen films they’d really see how good she is.
