Emerald Fennell, the British filmmaker behind Promising Young Woman and the upcoming Wuthering Heights, has denied claims that she is in talks to direct a reboot of Basic Instinct.
The claims were made by screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, who wrote the original 1992 film. In an interview with The Guardian, Eszterhas said that producers were negotiating with Fennell, describing her as “someone who is not afraid of controversy and sexuality”.
However, a representative for Fennell told Deadline that there is “no truth in this. She is not involved in any way.” Amazon, which is developing the reboot with Eszterhas, also issued a statement calling the claim “categorically false”.
Eszterhas, known for his provocative films including Flashdance and Showgirls, signed a deal with Amazon last summer to write the reboot. Early reports described the project as “anti-woke”.
The original Basic Instinct starred Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas, and was followed by a 2006 sequel that Eszterhas was not involved in.
