AceShowbiz -

Making another progress in developing "Barbarella" following their successful effort to complete a rights deal for the flick, producers Dino and Martha De Laurentiis have hired "Casino Royale" screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade to both pen the screenplay, Variety has reported.

Purvis and Wade are said to just turn in their draft for "Bond 22" and will make the movie their next project. Already tapped to direct is "Hannibal Rising" Peter Webber, who is set to begin principal photography later this year at Morocco's CLA studios.

A new take on Roger Vadim's classic sci-fi adventure, the picture is described by Dino De Laurentiis to have "love, sex, adventure" as the titular character conducts her journey. Rather than follows the original's concept in depicting the heroine as a kittenish sexpot, the remake version will make her a free, modern gal who survives in a futuristic world through her intelligence, fighting skills, and sexuality instead.

De Laurentiis recently finalized a film rights acquisition deal with Julien Forest, the son of Jean-Claude Forest, author of the French comic book series the original was based on. Made with Hollywood Comics principal Jean-Marc Lofficier and French agent Laurie Roy, it calls for the first two "Barbarella" books' reissue in concert with the feature as well as the publication of material that previously had not been translated into English.

"Barbarella is the ultimate science-fiction adventure heroine: smart, strong funny and sexy," the man commented. "I'm excited to reintroduce Barbarella to a new generation of moviegoers."