Although Michael Douglas is mostly retired from acting, his involvement in the film and TV industry will always be a pivotal part of history that has influenced tons of productions today. Thirty years ago, he appeared in one such masterpiece, Basic Instinct, portraying detective Nick Curran, who investigates the murder of a wealthy rock star in San Francisco and begins an affair with the prime suspect, Catherine Tramell. The film has since been recognized for its “groundbreaking depictions of sexuality in mainstream Hollywood cinema,” and is now being given a reboot treatment with the original screenwriter, Joe Eszterhas, returning.
Per The Wrap, Eszterhas has closed a $4 million deal to write a Basic Instinct reboot for Scott Stuber’s United Artists banner and Amazon MGM Studios. The partnership is the largest spec script sale of the year so far, committing Amazon to a $2 million payout against a potential $4 million to Eszterhas if the film comes to life. Nick Nesbitt and Stuber serve as producers, alongside Craig Baumgartern and Adam Griffin, who are executive producing, via their Vault Entertainment banner.
Details about the casting have yet to be announced, but we’ve learned that Sharon Stone could reprise her Basic Instinct role as the accused serial killer and novelist Catherine Tramell, the role that shot her to global recognition. Additionally, the production is expected to be “anti-woke,” per a source, and will “provide viewers with a wild and orgasmic ride,” as promised by Eszterhas. The scribe said in a statement:
“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.”
Despite Criticism, ‘Basic Instinct’ Was a Commercial Success
Directed by Paul Verhoeven, Basic Instinct premiered in Los Angeles on March 18, 1992, and was theatrically released in the U.S. by TriStar Pictures on March 20. The film received mixed reviews from audiences upon its release, but much praise was directed at Douglas and Stone’s performances. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 56% critics’ score, with the consensus noting that the movie is “ultimately undone by its problematic, overly lurid plot.” Even so, Basic Instinct was a commercial success, grossing over $353 million worldwide on a budget of just $49 million and becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1992. Fourteen years later, a sequel was released in 2006, starring Stone, but it was unsuccessful.
via Collider