Nicolas Winding Refn to adapt “Barbarella” for television

Nicolas Winding Refn ("Drive") is set to adapt "Barbarella" for television.In one of the stranger pieces of entertainment news in some time, it was announced today that Nicolas Winding Refn, director of “Drive” and “Bronson,” will remake the 1960s cult classic “Barbarella” for European television.

Yes, that “Barbarella,” the film that starred a young Jane Fonda as a warrior-like sex symbol assigned by the President of Earth to retrive a weapons inventor from another planet. Coincidentally, the film is being released on Blu-Ray in two weeks.

Refn will both direct and executive produce the show for Gaumont International Television, along with Martha De Laurentiis (wife of Dino) and co-executive producers Julien Forest and Jean-Marc Lofficier.

Gaumont is also producing Refn’s next two big screen productions, which include “Only God Forgives,” the director’s second film with Ryan Gosling that is due out later this year.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Refn called Barbarella “one of the ultimate counter-cultural characters” and said “I look forward to bringing this unique character to life for a new generation of fans.”

No word on if/when the project will hit American airwaves, but you can certainly color us interested.