Babylon 5 creator J Michael Straczynski, currently receiving plaudits for his screenplay for Clint Eastwood's movie Changeling, has been hired to write the update of the 1956 classic SF movie, Forbidden Planet.

The original film, based on Shakespeare's The Tempest, starred Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis and Leslie Nielsen, and introduced Robbie the Robot. Its influence has been felt on many subsequent films and TV shows, notably including the original incarnation of Star Trek.

The new version will be produced by Joel Silver for Warner Brothers. Previous attempts to remake it have been considered by David Twohy for Dreamworks, as well as James Cameron and Stirling Silliphant.

Straczynski is also penning The Flickering Light and Lensman for Ron Howard, and They Marched into Sunlight for Paul Greengrass. He recently announced that he would not be writing further Babylon 5 direct-to-DVD movies.