Paul Verhoeven to direct ghostly Eternal

Paul Verhoeven, the director of Basic Instinct, Total Recall and, uh, Showgirls , is returning to saucy, provocative material with new film Eternal .

Bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘til death do us part’, the script follows a married man who has a sexual affair with a woman who turns out to be a ghost, and is apparently after his immortal soul.

The concept certainly seems to push all of Verhoeven’s buttons, with Eternal ’s male lead apparently a recovering alcoholic whose sanity is questioned by the sudden appearance of a striking, dangerous young woman. Yep, it’s got Basic Instinct written all over it in smeared lipstick.

Originally scripted by David Loughery, who also wrote infidelity drama Obsessed , Eternal will get a re-draft courtesy of Exit Wounds ’ Richard D’Ovidio, and should have a budget of between $10-25m.

Now where's Sharon Stone when you need her?