Emerald Fennell Could Direct “Basic Instinct” Reboot

Now here’s quite the pairing of director and material.

British actress/filmmaker Emerald Fennell of “Saltburn,” “Promising Young Woman” and the recent “Wuthering Heights” fame, is reportedly in negotiations to direct the reboot of the iconic 1992 erotic thriller “Basic Instinct”.

Word came in July last year that the original film’s infamous screenwriter Joe Ezterhas had closed a $4 million deal to pen a reboot of the film for United Artists and Amazon MGM Studios.

Now, Eszterhas himself has revealed Fennell’s potential involvement whilst giving an interview with The Guardian, saying:

“The producers are negotiating with a really interesting director – a Brit, Emerald Fennell – who did Promising Young Woman and Wuthering Heights. 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.”

Fennell’s reps have not responded to the trades as yet to comment. The project’s script has been described as ‘anti-woke’ and not shying away from the sleaze that became a signature of Ezterhas’ 1990s work.

How it’ll gel with Fennell will be interesting, as she has proven unafraid of controversy and boundary pushing.