Paul Verhoeven directing Thomas Crown sequel?

Having rebooted his film cred with the stirring World War Two drama Black Book, Paul Verhoeven is busy considering other projects.

He’s attached to make murder mystery/conspiracy theory Azazel, but according to the man himself, he may be plotting a return to Hollywood filmmaking. The director appeared on Dutch radio show Met Het Oog Op Morgen (which translates to With The Eye On Tomorrow) and revealed that he’s in line to direct the sequel for The Thomas Crown Affair.

It’ll follow-up Pierce Brosnan’s gentleman thief and is titled The Topkapi Affair, drawing as it source from both 1964’s Topkapi (about the heist of a jewelled dagger from a museum) and Eric Ambler’s original novel, The Light Of The Day.

Whether it’ll get moving soon – particularly given the writers’ strike – is anyone’s guess, but if it does get made, here’s hoping it returns Verhoeven to his Hollywood glory days…