Wicked Reports Rocketing Sales for Braun's 'Barbarella XXX'

LOS ANGELES—They're breaking open the champagne over at Wicked Pictures today ... or at least that's what we'd like to imagine. The company just released a statement announcing that sales of Barbarella XXX: An Axel Braun Parody have far exceeded expectations. In addition, critics have been praising the project—though that's certainly not surprising here at AVN, given the glowing review the title received earlier this month. Starring Axel Braun Productions contract star Riley Steele and featuring Wicked Girl Asa Akira, Barbarella XXX marks the debut of Wicked Comix, a new imprint dedicated to comic book parodies. All Wicked Comix titles are being helmed by four-time AVN Director of the Year Axel Braun, who recently wrapped production on Batman v Superman XXX: An Axel Braun Parody. Created with Braun's notorious attention to detail, this big-budget spoof of Jean-Claude Forest's classic sci-fi comic strip and Roger Vadim's 1968 film adaptation showcases Steele in the iconic role made famous by Jane Fonda. As AVN reviewer Peter Warren notes, "such a legendary role demands just the right gal to fill the accompanying space boots, and it would be tough to come up with anyone more fitting than Axel Braun Productions contract girl Riley Steele—it's almost as though this is the part she was plopped into Porn Valley to play." Equally high praise is lavished upon Akira, with Warren noting that "Asa gets a plum role as the Great Tyrant, whose shades of lesbian leanings in the original are brought to full fruition here; she has a terrific girl/girl romp about midway through the picture with Rachael Madori as three other gals fondle each other before them, and then for the grand finale, she and Steele have at each other in a truly epic lick-a-thon that will almost surely be a frontrunner for Best Girl/Girl Sex Scene come AVN Awards 2016." After similarly lauding the work of such supporting performers as Kurt Lockwood and Chanell Heart, the perfect AAAAA Editor's Choice review concludes by praising "the guest appearances by Ron Jeremy and Tera Patrick, its hysterical riff on the original's theme song performed by Braun (yes, you read that right), and its wry references to the film and the '80s pop band whose name it inspired, Duran Duran. In short, this is a timeless entry in the XXX canon, and we expect demand for it will have a corresponding lifespan." Other industry publications have been just as enthusiastic, with Cheri magazine's Emma Edwards giving the movie another perfect AAAAA review, and raving, "Barbarella XXX is a PERFECT example of why Axel Braun IS the KING OF PORN! The jewel on his crown—Riley Steele." XCritic's Houston Don is similarly supportive, with the reviewer giving it a Highly Recommended seal of approval and dubbing the project as "perfectly suited for Riley Steele, the beautiful young lady who's about as fetching as you will find in modern porn." Houston also praises the title song: "What really shined was the theme song sung by Axel, called 'Barbarella Slutterella' that remains in my head days after first hearing it." Art Koch of NightMoves magazine is the most recent reviewer to give the film a five-star review, concluding his critique by proclaiming, "Axel Braun has once again created a comic parody that will be a heavy award nominee next season!" The safe-for-work trailer can be viewed on AVN.com and YouTube.com. For more information, visit Wicked.com.