Three items popped up on January 30th about Bruce and his withdrawal from a high profile film role -- the sequel to Basic Instinct, starring Sharon Stone:
Production problems for Basic Instinct 2 in today's Hollywood Headlines. It was one of the most successful movies of 1992 but the sequel to Basic Instinct can't seem to get off the ground. First - Producers can't find a costar for Sharon Stone who gets a reported 15,000,000 paycheck whether of not the film ever gets made. Among the names that have been mentioned to star along side Stone - Robert Downey, Jr. - Pierce Brosnan - Kurt Russell and now it looks like 13 Days star Bruce Greenwood may be the latest to just say no. Perhaps more ominous Director David Cronenberg reportedly has dropped out and discussions are underway with Die Hard and Thomas Crown Affair Director John McTiernan.
In the ongoing quest to bring "Basic Instinct 2" to the screen at
MGM, David Cronenberg has opted out of the film for reasons unknown,
while the film's producers, Andy Vajna and Mario Kassar, are now in
discussions with John McTiernan to helm the sequel. The director,
who helmed the MGM remake of "The Thomas Crown Affair," recently
wrapped production on the studio's remake of "Rollerball." Vajna and
Kassar have renegotiated their producers agreement with MGM, giving
them several months to put the project together. The prior agreement
gave them until mid-January or else the project would have been
shelved (HR 1/5). Meanwhile, the search for a suitable male lead to
star opposite the pay-or-play Sharon Stone continues. On Friday,
talks with actor Bruce Greenwood were under way but went nowhere. Greenwood shares the same manager as Stone, Chuck Binder, and is said to have multiple film offers following his critically acclaimed turn as President Kennedy in "Thirteen Days." McTiernan is repped by Artists Management Group. Greenwood also is repped by the Gersh Agency.
(Zorianna Kit / Hollywood Reporter )
It'll be back to basics for the makers of "Basic Instinct II," who now must contend with the departure of Canadian director David Cronenberg.
The troubled project appears to now be in perilous shape, with word that Cronenberg has walked away from the sequel to the Sharon Stone-Michael Douglas hit thriller.
The Popcorn.com movie news website says Cronenberg has given no official reason for bailing on the troubled production, but The New York Post quoted a source as saying the director of "Crash," "Dead Ringers" and "eXistenZ" had been embroiled in "vicious fights" with Stone.
Reports had suggested the producers were having trouble tracking down an appropriate leading man to star alongside Sharon Stone. The actress had signed a $15 million deal to star in the sequel, but her participation has been questioned in recent weeks.
Robert Downey Jr. was considered a lock for the male lead, but those plans went off the rail when he was re-arrested on drug charges.
Kurt Russell was offered the part, but passed. Canadian actor Bruce Greenwood ("The Sweet Hereafter," "Thirteen Days") was approached, but no deal resulted, Popcorn.com said.
The report added that the producers have already approached "Die Hard" director John McTiernan, who just finished a remake of Norman Jewison's "Rollerball," to step in for Cronenberg.
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