Joe Eszterhas—the screenwriter best known for icepick-heavy ’90s sleaze like Basic Instinct and Showgirls—is returning to the world of writing scripts after more than a decade away. But rather than movies about sexy lesbian serial killers or ambitious strippers shoving each other down the stairs, Eszterhas has turned his mind to more spiritual matters. Deadline reports that he’s sold a spec script based on a famous “visitation” by the Virgin Mary to faith-based filmmakers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett.
To be fair, Eszterhas comes by his latest career turn the semi-honest way; as recounted in his book Crossbearer; A Memoir Of Faith, he converted to Christianity in 2001 while dealing with cancer and a number of addictions. Since then, he’s attempted to apply his new religious mindset to the world of film, most notably in his attempt to make a “Jewish Braveheart” with fellow Christ-fan Mel Gibson. Now, Downey and Burnett—the husband-wife duo behind projects like History’s The Bible—are ready to make a film based on Eszterhas’ script about Our Lady Of Guadalupe.
Eszterhas has reportedly been working on the script—about a man who insisted a temple be built in a Mexican city after seeing repeated visions of the Virgin Mary—for 14 years. Downey and Burnett’s Lightworkers production company will produce the film through its partnership with MGM.