‘Basic Instinct’ reboot confirmed as original writer cashes in big

In a move sure to ignite both nostalgia and controversy, Amazon MGM Studios' United Artists has officially greenlit a reboot of Basic Instinct, the infamous 1992 erotic thriller that made cinematic history. The project is now in active development, and the original film’s screenwriter Joe Eszterhas has signed on to write the reboot, reportedly for a massive $4 million pay check.

Producer Scott Stuber has acquired the rights and is aiming to retain the provocative edge that defined the original. Sharon Stone’s legendary portrayal of crime novelist Catherine Trammel and Michael Douglas’s detective Nick Curran became pop culture icons, particularly after the film’s notorious interrogation scene. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, the original pulled in over $350 million worldwide and sparked decades of debate about sex, power, and female agency in Hollywood.

Now, with Eszterhas back in the writer’s chair, the reboot is expected to stay true to the essence of the original while introducing a modern lens. The move also marks a potential return of the big-screen erotic thriller, a genre that has mostly vanished in the current studio climate. Industry chatter is already swirling about who might take over the iconic roles, but casting has not yet been announced.

The timing is notable, as streaming platforms increasingly compete for attention with buzzy adult thrillers. The reboot of Basic Instinct could become a defining moment for Amazon’s film strategy. Fans of the original are both excited and wary, wondering how the sensual shock factor will translate in 2025.

Though no release date has been confirmed, expectations are high for a bold and boundary-pushing reinterpretation of a film that once redefined the thriller genre.