JESSICA Alba is in the hot seat to don arguably the most famous hot pants to hit the big screen.

Alba is shortlisted as a favourite to claim the prize role of Barbarella in the remake being brought to life by legendary producer Dino De Laurentiis.

UK tabloid The Sun claims the title role made famous by Jane Fonda in the 1968 sci-fi classic is already shaping up as one of Hollywood’s hottest battles this year.

Sienna Miller and Katherine Heigl were also named as likely candidates by The Sun, which claims the lead role will be coveted by “half the leading ladies in Hollywood”.

“The script is underway and John Carpenter is set to direct, so it’s all about finding the new Barbarella,” an insider said.

“Whoever gets it is going to have to look super-hot in not very much clothing.”

However, even the director’s chair is not entirely safe for horror veteran Carpenter, with Aussie filmmaker Robert Luketic (The Ugly Truth) also attached to direct the screenplay written by Joe Gazzam.

Barbarella centres on a female mercenary who roams the universe of a distant future, undertaking missions that require fearlessness, ingenuity and sensuality.

The character debuted in 1962 in a French graphic magazine written and illustrated by Jean-Claude Forest and was known for her sexual escapades.

There also was a musical produced in 2004.

The new take on the iconic character will not be campy, though it will keep the sexuality; there will be seductions, but the focus will be on the adventure.

Robert Rodriguez was previously involved with the project, when it was set up at Universal in May 2007, with an eye to making it a vehicle for his girlfriend Rose McGowan, but the studio and director reportedly could not agree on where to shoot.