Emerald Fennell denies she’s directing ‘anti-woke’ Basic Instinct reboot
Emerald Fennell (Getty Images)
Rumours that Emerald Fennell is attached to direct a reboot of Basic Instinct are being firmly shut down.
Both Amazon and representatives for the Oscar-winning filmmaker have denied claims made by screenwriter Joe Eszterhas, who suggested in an interview that she was in talks to take on the project.
He said to The Guardian: “The producers are negotiating with a really interesting director – a Brit, Emerald Fennell.”
The screenwriter added: “Her sensibility is exactly right. She’s someone who is not afraid of controversy and sexuality. So I’m thrilled by that. I hope it works out.”
Unfortunately for Eszterhas, though, in a 7 April statement to Deadline, Fennell’s team called the report untrue, stating she is “not involved in any way,” while Amazon described the claim as “categorically false”.
Criticism of Basic Instinct
Eszterhas, who wrote the original 1992 thriller starring Sharon Stone and Michael Douglas, is reportedly working on a reboot for Amazon, though details remain limited.
His comments had sparked speculation given Fennell’s track record with provocative, genre-bending work like Promising Young Woman, but for now, there’s no indication she’s attached.
The reboot itself has already stirred conversation, with early reports describing the reboot as “anti-woke”.
The original movie didn’t sit well with some groups, who branded it “the most blatantly misogynistic film in recent memory” at the time.
Eszterhas denies those accusations, but still thinks Hollywood is too polite.
He told The Guardian in a 7 April interview: “People are terrified of confrontation and disagreement. That’s a communication loss. That’s a human loss.”
Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.
