Paul Verhoeven To Tackle Controversial Jesus Flick

Paul Verhoeven is no stranger to a bit of controversy, as the Basic Instinct and Showgirls director has proven over the years.

Now, the Dutch filmmaker has a project that's sure to rattle the cage. He's looking to adapt his own book, Jesus of Nazareth, which makes some claims about JC that will cause many in middle America to grab their pitchforks and head to Hollywood in search of the man who made Sharon Stone's crotch famous. In his book, Verhoeven claims Jesus was the product of a rape; saying a roman solider forced himself on Mary - which was apparently common at the time. He discounts his penchant for miracles and all that resurrection malarkey too. The helmer said, "If you look at the man, it’s clear you have a person who was completely innovative in the field of ethics," Verhoeven told Deadline.com last year. "My own passion for Jesus came when I started to realize that. It’s not about miracles, it’s about a new set of ethics, an openness towards the world, which was anathema in a Roman-dominated world. I believe he was crucified because they felt that politically, he was a dangerous person whose following was getting bigger and bigger. Jesus’ ideals are about the utopia of human behavior, about how we should treat each other, how we should step into the shoes of our enemy." He obviously has a lot of respect for the man, having researched the subject for a couple of decades.

Verhoeven has funding, and an Oscar winning screenwriter on board - Pulp Fiction's Roger Avary. Expect to see this one in the next year if things keep moving at this pace. 

Story by Mike Sheridan | 10:39 | Wednesday 20th June 2012 | Movie News

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Comments

• Tyler Durden

  I'd rather watch Life of Brian (again).

  Posted 18:14 | Thu 21st Jun 2012

• mcmonkeys1

  About time he made a jesus flick. He's been obsessed with him/religion/crusades since his early films. Even robocop had a brief moment where robo was some kinda jesus type figure.

  Posted 11:12 | Fri 22nd Jun 2012

• Fozz

  Bring it on...never a dull chap this Verhoeven lad and I will be interested in any movie he does. Starship Troopers remains a B-movie favourite!

  Posted 15:15 | Fri 22nd Jun 2012

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