Barbarella is the story of a female mercenary in the distant future, whose missions often require losing one to several articles of clothing. It first debuted in 1962 in a French graphic novel written by Jean-Claude Forest, and was made famous when adapted for the screen in 1968, starring Jane Fonda in the title role. The movie almost instantly became a cult classic – and its somewhat ridiculous plot is exactly what attracted Rodriguez to the project in the first place.

“[Producer] Dino De Laurentiis came to me and said, ‘Barbarella is a world where you are completely free to unleash all your fantasies, creativity and imagination -- where the possibilities are limitless,’ ” Rodriguez said. “I love this iconic character and all that she represents, and I'm truly excited by the challenge of inviting a new audience into her universe.”

Rodriguez will be teaming up with the writers from the recent Casino Royale ( Neal Purvis and Robert Wade), and the producers hope that formula will provide similar box office success.

“Barbarella is the ultimate science-fiction adventure heroine: smart, strong and sexy,” De Laurentiis said. “In our vision, the future is female, and I can't wait to introduce Barbarella to a new generation of moviegoers.”

Rodriguez had also been heavily courted by Warner Bros. to direct a Jetsons feature, and by Universal for the new Land of the Lost.

The studio is aiming at a 2008 release.