Pamela Anderson is revisiting her cult classic Barb Wire as a television series in development with Universal Content Productions and Dark Horse Entertainment, produced by And-Her-Sons Productions—the company she formed with her sons Brandon Thomas Lee and Dylan Jagger Lee. The project is described as a new take on the Dark Horse Comics property, and Anderson along with her son Brandon are set to executive produce, marking the first collaboration among UCP, Dark Horse, and And-Her-Sons.
Unlike the 1996 film, which cast Anderson as Barb Wire, the TV adaptation will have a different feel and will not see Anderson reprise the title role, Deadline reported. Barb Wire originated as a Dark Horse Comics character created by Chris Warner in 1993 and is described as a sexy nightclub owner who moonlights as a mercenary in Steel Harbor, one of the last free zones in a now fascist United States. The film itself became a cultural touchstone for its campy sci-fi action and earned two Razzie Awards.
The new TV project is in development as a joint production between Universal Content Productions, Dark Horse Entertainment, and And-Her-Sons Productions. Entertainment Weekly noted that Anderson and Brandon will executive produce the series, while Deadline underscored that the adaptation will not be a direct remake of the film and will instead lean into a fresh tonal approach while drawing on the same Dark Horse Comics lineage.
According to a Dark Horse representative, the series will be based on the Dark Horse Comics character Barb Wire and will follow Barbara Kopetski, aka Barb Wire, described as the baddest bounty hunter on the mean streets of Steel Harbor. The character’s core traits—steely resolve, weaponized resourcefulness, and a punk-rock sensibility—will be carried into a new format that expands the setting beyond the movie’s narrative. The show’s development signals a continued interest in adapting comic book properties for serialized TV, with a focus on a grounded yet stylized world in which Barb Wire navigates danger, loyalty, and power dynamics in a fascist-tinged metropolis.
Barb Wire’s origin in comics and its 1996 screen adaptation have shaped how producers talk about the project. The film, which cast Anderson opposite a slate of action veterans, earned notoriety for its over-the-top visuals and genre-malfunction charm, and it remains a reference point for discussions about adaptation and IP remakes. The new series aims to honor the source material while offering a contemporary lens on a matriarchal antihero who operates on the edge of law and survival. No writers, showrunners, or casting have been announced publicly, and the timeline remains fluid as the teams refine the concept for modern streaming audiences.
Pamela Anderson has previously traversed the broader landscape of genre IP, with her cultural footprint extending beyond Barb Wire. The breadth of interest in reviving cult properties with new generations of creators has become a notable trend in entertainment, as studios look to leverage established fan bases while adapting to current tastes for serialized storytelling. The Barb Wire project fits into this pattern, positioning Anderson and her sons at the creative helm of a franchise-development effort that spans comics and television. As development progresses, observers will look for further updates on the series’ tone, writers, and potential casting, as well as how closely the adaptation will hew to or diverge from its comic-book origins and the 1996 feature that remains a touchstone in cult-film discussions.