Emerald Fennell may direct Basic Instinct reboot for Amazon MGM
Saltburn director Emerald Fennell is in talks to direct a reboot of Basic Instinct, written by returning screenwriter Joe Eszterhas for Amazon MGM Studios. The project is being described as provocative and controversial, echoing the tone of the original film. However, the director information comes directly from Eszterhas, so the deal is not confirmed. The writer has a reputation for exaggeration, so we shouldn’t take Fennell’s involvement as a sure thing just yet.
The project has been in development for some time. Nine months ago, it was announced that Basic Instinct screenwriter Joe Eszterhas had closed a $4 million deal to write a reboot of Basic Instinct for Scott Stuber’s United Artists and Amazon MGM Studios.
What is Basic Instinct?
The original Basic Instinct was directed by Paul Verhoeven and released in 1992. It starred Michael Douglas as a detective investigating a brutal murder that leads him into a dangerous game of seduction with prime suspect Catherine Tramell, a manipulative crime novelist who may or may not have committed the murder. Sharon Stone played Trammel and was catapulted to fame thanks to her chilling performance and that iconic interrogation scene.
Highly controversial at the time of its release due to its subject matter and sexual content, the original made $353M and defined the erotic thriller boom.
Emerald Fennell has a track record with provocative, sexually charged storytelling, making her a natural fit for a reboot.
What did Joe Eszterhas say about the project?
A source familiar with the project described the reboot as “anti-woke,” though no official details have been confirmed.
Eszterhas previously said, “I can’t talk very much about the storyline at this point because much of it isn’t formed yet. It begins in 2025. The Catherine Trammel character I will write and I hope Sharon [Stone] agrees to do the picture because I thought she was brilliant the first time out. In my reboot she is not the star of the picture but she is the main co-star of the picture. It’s about the serial killers. It’s about copycats. There’s a demonic element to it that I think will be spooky.“
Eszterhas has also been quoted as saying, “To those who question what an 80-year-old man is doing writing a sexy, erotic thriller: the rumors of my cinematic impotence are exaggerated and ageist. I call my writing partner the ‘Twisted Little Man’ and he lives somewhere deep inside me. He was born 29 and he will die 29 and he tells me he is ‘sky high up’ to write this piece and provide viewers with a wild and orgasmic ride. That makes me very happy.“
Will Sharon Stone be in the reboot?
Stone doesn’t seem to be very interested at this point. “If it goes the way the one I was in went, then I would just say I do not know why you would do it,” she said on Today, referring to the critically panned Basic Instinct 2. “Go ahead, but good f***ing luck!“
Will Emerald Fennell direct the film?
Now, Deadline reports that Eszterhas told The Guardian, “The producers are negotiating with a really interesting director – a Brit, Emerald Fennell – who did Promising Young Woman and Wuthering Heights. Her sensibility is exactly right. She’s someone who is not afraid of controversy and sexuality. So I’m thrilled by that. I hope it works out.“
With Emerald Fennell potentially directing and Joe Eszterhas returning to write, the Basic Instinct reboot is shaping up to be one of the most controversial projects currently in development at Amazon MGM Studios. Would you like to see Fennell take the helm? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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