Basic Instinct sequel teases Catherine Tramell’s daughter — will Paul Verhoeven return to direct?

Well, Basic Instinct is back in the news, and this time the story's about as odd as you'd expect. Joe Eszterhas, the bloke who penned the original (and then got roasted for its notorious sequel), has landed himself a multi-million quid deal to write a proper follow-up to the 90s erotic thriller. This is the same Basic Instinct that kicked off a storm over its blend of murder, sex, and ice picks – and, yes, star power from Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone.

Meet Jezebel Tramell

Talking to Interview Magazine, Eszterhas confirmed the headline news: Catherine Tramell – Sharon Stone's iconic, dangerously clever novelist – is coming back for round three. But the real eye-opener is that this time she’s got a daughter in tow. The character’s called Jezebel (of course she is), and that's about as much as Eszterhas is willing to reveal for now.

When pressed about whether Michael Douglas’s character is the father, Eszterhas wasn’t giving anything away. Mysterious as ever.

‘Controversial’ Is the Pitch

Eszterhas says he’s gone full tilt on this one, swerving right past safe territory. When asked about how the new script handles modern topics – mental illness, sexuality, addiction – he admitted, pretty bluntly, that some of the dialogue will spark a laugh, others will be ‘pissed off’, but he reckons even the annoyed will secretly enjoy it. His words:

'It will be controversial. With the original, people forget that one of the things that made it so successful when it opened was that there had been controversy for months before. There were protests in New York and L.A. I’m not afraid of controversy. One of the things happening in filmmaking today is films have become more tepid and whitened. My script for the sequel is anything but that.'

Eszterhas even teases that there are lines in the script that’ll have the audience saying, ‘Holy shit, did I hear that right?’ Make of that what you will.

Will Sharon Stone Actually Return?

So, is Sharon Stone on board to play Catherine Tramell again? Not looking likely. Stone hasn't been shy about her feelings after Basic Instinct 2 got torn to pieces by critics. Her response to the prospect sounds less than optimistic: ‘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. Go ahead, but good f***ing luck!’

Who’s Directing This Thing?

Direction's still a big question mark. Earlier this year Eszterhas dropped Emerald Fennell’s name (the one behind Wuthering Heights), but she promptly denied all involvement – ‘There’s no truth in this. She is not involved in any way.’ So, if Fennell’s out, does that mean a reunion with the original director, Paul Verhoeven, is on the cards?

Eszterhas says he’d be up for Verhoeven returning, but seems realistic about the odds. To paraphrase: between his own age (early 80s) and Verhoeven’s (even older), he expects a bit of studio hesitation. Still, what he really wants is a director with what he calls 'some sense of provocation' – that particular gene Verhoeven’s always had.

• Sequel greenlit last year – Eszterhas signed a multi-million dollar deal to write it
• Plot detail – Catherine Tramell is back, now with a daughter called Jezebel
• Character parentage – No reveal on whether Nick Curran is the dad
• Script tone – Meant to be provocative and offensive by design
• Sharon Stone’s return – Highly unlikely, based on her own comments
• No director yet – Emerald Fennell publically not involved; Eszterhas open to Verhoeven but thinks it’s a long shot