Paul Verhoeven has a pretty spotty record as a director, especially recently. Although an acknowledged master of visual porn, he hasn’t wowed many with the likes of Showgirls, Starship Troopers, and Hollow Man. That hasn’t deterred the producers of The Topkapi Affari, a sequel to 1999’s The Thomas Crown Affair.

Verhoeven told the Dutch radio program “With the Eye on Tomorrow” that he would be directing The Topkapi Affair. A start date is expected in February, regardless of the strike. As we noted here and here both original star Pierce Brosnan and newcomer Angelina Jolie will likely appear.

The sequel will be based on the 1964 film Topkapi, which starred Maximllian Schell and Peter Ustinov. That makes this one of the few times in memory that a movie is both a remake and a sequel. Dear Buddah in Heaven, it's doubly cursed. The first Brosnan Thomas Crown was only so-so and I’m not sure why a sequel is needed. Maybe if we get to see Renee Russo’s boobies again. Either way, with Verhoeven on board, get ready for gratuitous sex and violence!