Sharon Stone isn't thrilled to hear about the upcoming "anti-progressive" version of her 1992 erotic thriller Basic Instinct.
Trump-friendly Amazon MGM has tapped 81-year-old screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, who wrote the original film, to pen the remake, but Stone isn't holding out much hope. In a joint interview with co-star Marc Maron to promote their new film, In Memoriam, she told Variety that she doubts the screenwriter's ability to handle the job.
«"How old is Joe Eszterhas?" Stone asked, according to the publication, which claims she Googled his name to find out, then joked, "Oh, he's 81. So I guess he's a real expert on sexuality." She also categorically stated that she would not star in the new film.
Stone has serious doubts that the Basic Instinct reboot will be a success. / Columbia TriStar / Getty Images
Stone, who played femme fatale Catherine Tramell in "Osginal," made the comments just weeks after Amazon announced plans for a reboot that an insider who spoke to The Wrap said would be an "anti-progressive" take on the story.
Eszterhas's $4 million deal marks Amazon's largest film rights deal since 2025, obligating the company to pay $2 million plus a possible $4 million if the film is made. Eszterhas was aware of the criticism surrounding his age when the news was announced last July.
Joe Eszterhas, pictured 1995. / Ron Galella, Ltd. / Ron Galella Collection via Getty
In a statement to The Wrap, he said, "For those wondering what an 80-year-old man is doing penning a sexy, erotic thriller: rumors of my cinematic impotence are exaggerated and ageist." He added, "I call my co-writer 'THE TWISTED LITTLE MAN,' and he lives somewhere deep inside me. He was born at 29 and will die at 29, and he tells me he's 'in heaven' to write this film and give audiences a wild, orgasmic adventure. That makes me very happy.".
In Basic Instinct, Stone stars opposite Michael Douglas as homicide detective Nick Curran. While investigating a brutal murder, he enters into a passionate affair with Stone's character, a crime novelist who becomes the prime suspect. The role made Stone an icon for feminists and the LGBT community, while also making her an "anti-progressive" figure quite unpalatable to her fans.
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