July 18, 2025, 10:03 am | Read time: 3 minutes
In Hollywood, the motto remains: “Make old new again.” Book, video game, and comic adaptations, as well as long-running film series, continue to dominate when it comes to blockbuster movies. But so-called reboots or remakes are also part of the studios’ standard repertoire. Time and again, the dream factory revives well-known titles from the past. Now, Amazon MGM Studios is daring to tackle one of the major scandal films of the ’90s with “Basic Instinct.”
“Basic Instinct” Aims to Be “Wild and Orgasmic”
This is reported exclusively by “The Wrap.” According to the report, Joe Eszterhas, the screenwriter of the 1992 original, is back on board to write a new version of the cult classic. He is set to earn up to four million dollars for this. However, further details are scarce. There is no director or star attached yet. The report suggests it is possible that Sharon Stone could return as the serial killer Catherine Tramell.
There is also no information on the specific content yet. In a statement to “The Wrap,” Eszterhas promises a “wild and orgasmic” ride. “That makes me very happy.” Fans of the original know they can expect steamy sex scenes in the new version of “Basic Instinct” as well.
Next Controversies Seem Predestined
Paul Verhoeven’s “Basic Instinct” became a mega-hit in theaters, grossing $353 million on a budget of just $49 million—adjusted for inflation, that would be about $800 million today. The film was accompanied by various controversies and protests, such as the portrayal of the killer Catherine Tramell as bisexual, which was said to perpetuate negative stereotypes.
The famous scene where Sharon Stone crosses her legs seductively, briefly revealing her vagina, also caused a stir—and has gone down in film history. Whether and how the “Basic Instinct” reboot will provoke heated reactions today is not yet clear. According to an insider, however, the story is expected to be “anti-woke.”
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Is Amazon Really Up for This?
Even though there are no details yet, this approach could be quite significant. “Woke” generally describes left-liberal views on politics and society, which are currently widespread in the entertainment sector but also continuously provoke critical countervoices. Hardly any major title—whether in film, television, streaming, or gaming—comes without a discussion on these topics. Sometimes, such discourses can indeed have a direct impact on success or failure.
An “anti-woke” script might appeal to many—but not in Hollywood. Since the script is yet to be written and the entire project is still in a very early planning stage, it is quite possible that Eszterhas’ intended story may not make it to the big screen. In large productions, it is common for a script to go through multiple hands and revisions. Amazon, as a brand and production studio, will certainly be careful not to jeopardize its own image.