Actress Sharon Stone is suing the producers of Basic Instinct saying they agreed to pay her at least $14 million to make the sequel, whether or not the film ever actually materialised. The plans for the follow-up have now been put on ice and the producing team of Andrew Vajna and Mario Kassar deny ever having made an oral agreement with the star.
“It’s interesting that they deny they ever had any contract with Stone,” says her lawyer. “After all, what’s the first thing you do when you’re making a sequel to Basic Instinct? You make a deal with Sharon Stone.”
The 43-year-old beauty seeks nearly $100 million in damages, claiming she agreed to do the film for $14 million plus 15 per cent of film’s gross box-office receipts. In court papers filed in Los Angeles, Sharon claims she turned down other film offers and had already begun training for Basic Instinct 2.
The original film, co-starring Michael Douglas, took in $400 million worldwide and made an international star out of Sharon, who played sociopath Catherine Tramell. Finding a male lead for the proposed sequel proved to be a challenge, with Benjamin Bratt and Kurt Russell reportedly turning down the role. Neither the original director Paul Verhoeven nor screenwriter Joe Eszterhas had signed on to the sequel.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
