Paul Verhoeven (other)
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Paul Verhoeven (; born 18 July 1938) is a Dutch filmmaker, who has worked variously in the Netherlands, the United States, and in France. He is known for directing
genre films Genre Films, usually credited as Kinberg Genre, is a production company founded by screenwriter-producer-director Simon Kinberg. History Genre Films in April 2010 signed a first-look deal with 20th Century Fox, which gave Fox "direct access" ...
with strong
satirical Satire is a genre of the visual arts, visual, literature, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently Nonfiction, non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ...
elements, often featuring graphic violence and/or sexual content. Many of his films are considered provocative, and were controversial when released. After receiving attention for the TV series '' Floris'' in his native Netherlands, Verhoeven's breakthrough film was the romantic drama ''
Turkish Delight Turkish delight, or lokum () is a family of confectionery, confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often fl ...
'' (1973), starring frequent collaborator
Rutger Hauer Rutger Oelsen Hauer (; 23 January 1944 – 19 July 2019) was a Dutch actor, with a career that spanned over 170 roles across nearly 50 years, beginning in 1969. In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century. H ...
, which received an
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...
nomination for Best Foreign-Language Film. He later directed successful Dutch films including the period film '' Keetje Tippel'' (1975), the
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
film '' Soldier of Orange'' (1977), the adolescent drama ''
Spetters ''Spetters'' (English translation: ''Splashes'') is a Dutch film released in 1980 and directed by Paul Verhoeven. The film follows the lives of three young men who have little in common but their love for dirt-bike racing. Set on the outskirts o ...
'' (1980) and the
Gerard Reve Gerard Kornelis van het Reve (14 December 1923 – 8 April 2006) was a Dutch writer. He started writing as Simon Gerard van het Reve and adopted the shorter Gerard Reve in 1973. Together with Willem Frederik Hermans and Harry Mulisch, he i ...
-adapating psychological thriller '' The Fourth Man'' (1983). In 1985, Verhoeven made his first Hollywood film '' Flesh and Blood'' and later had a successful career in the United States, directing science fiction films such as ''
RoboCop ''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American Science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen (actress), Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Dani ...
'' (1987), '' Total Recall'' (1990), ''
Starship Troopers ''Starship Troopers'' is a military science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Written in a few weeks in reaction to the US suspending nuclear tests, the story was first published as a two-part serial in ''The Magazine of ...
'' (1997) and ''
Hollow Man ''Hollow Man'' is a 2000 science fiction horror thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven, written by Andrew W. Marlowe, and starring Elisabeth Shue, Kevin Bacon, Josh Brolin, Kim Dickens, Greg Grunberg, Joey Slotnick, Mary Randle, and Will ...
'' (2000), as well as the erotic thriller ''
Basic Instinct ''Basic Instinct'' is a 1992 erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. Starring Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Wayne Knight, the film follows the detective Nick ...
'' (1992). He also directed the 1995 film ''
Showgirls ''Showgirls'' is a 1995 erotic drama film directed by Paul Verhoeven, written by Joe Eszterhas, starring Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, Gina Gershon, Glenn Plummer, Robert Davi, Alan Rachins, and Gina Ravera. The film focuses on an ambi ...
,'' which was critically panned on initial release but has developed a
cult following A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...
and undergone critical re-evaluation. Verhoeven later returned to Europe, making the Dutch war film '' Black Book'' (2006), French psychological thriller ''
Elle Elle may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication ** Elle Style Awards * Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition * Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film * ''Elle: ...
'' (2016) and the religious drama '' Benedetta'' (2021), all receiving positive reviews. ''Black Book'' and ''Elle'' were both nominated for
BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language The BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language is a film award given annually by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and presented at the British Academy Film Awards. The award was first given at the 36th British Academy F ...
and ''Elle'' won
Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film is a Golden Globe Award presented by Dick Clark Productions to reward theatrically-released feature film not in the English language. It was first introduced at the 7th Golden Globe Awards f ...
and
César Award for Best Film The winners and nominees of the César Award for Best Film ( French: ). Winners and nominees 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s See also * Lumière Award for Best Film * Louis Delluc Prize for Best Film * French Syndicate of Cinema ...
. ''Black Book'' was also voted by the Dutch public, in 2008, as the best Dutch film ever made. Verhoeven's films have received a total of nine
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nominations, mainly for editing and effects.


Early life

Paul Verhoeven was born in
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
on 18 July 1938, the son of a schoolteacher, Wim Verhoeven, and a hatmaker, Nel van Schaardenburg. Despite what is sometimes reported, he is not related to German filmmaker
Michael Verhoeven Michael Alexander Verhoeven (13 July 1938 – 22 April 2024) was a German film director, screenwriter, film and television producer, and actor. He was also a qualified Doctor of Medicine. He was considered a political filmmaker. Biography Mic ...
, whose own father was also named
Paul Verhoeven Paul Verhoeven (; born 18 July 1938) is a Dutch filmmaker, who has worked variously in the Netherlands, the United States, and in France. He is known for directing genre films with strong satirical elements, often featuring graphic violence and ...
. In 1943, the family moved to
The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
, the location of the German headquarters in the Netherlands during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The Verhoeven house was near a German military base with V1- and V2-rocket launchers, which was repeatedly bombed by Allied forces. Their neighbours' house was hit and Verhoeven's parents were almost killed when bombs fell on a street crossing. From this period, Verhoeven mentioned in interviews, he remembers images of violence, burning houses, dead bodies on the street, and continuous danger. As a small child, he experienced the war as an exciting adventure, and has compared himself with the character Bill Rowan in '' Hope and Glory'' (1987). Verhoeven's father became headteacher at the Van Heutszschool in The Hague, and Paul attended this school. Sometimes the two watched informative films at home with the school's
film projector A movie projector (or film projector) is an opto-mechanical device for displaying motion picture film by projecting it onto a screen. Most of the optical and mechanical elements, except for the illumination and sound devices, are present in ...
. Verhoeven and his father went ten times to see ''
The War of the Worlds ''The War of the Worlds'' is a science fiction novel by English author H. G. Wells. It was written between 1895 and 1897, and serialised in '' Pearson's Magazine'' in the UK and ''Cosmopolitan'' magazine in the US in 1897. The full novel was ...
'' (1953). Verhoeven was a fan of the Dutch comic ''
Dick Bos Dick Bos was a Dutch detective comics series, published between 1940 and 1967 on irregular basis by Alfred Mazure. It was one of the most popular comic series in the Netherlands in the 1940s and still highly regarded as a classic.Rich Thomassen, '' ...
''. The character Dick Bos is a private detective who fights crime using
jujutsu Jujutsu ( , or ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu (both ), is a Japanese martial art and a system of close combat that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdue one or more weaponless or armed and armored opponent ...
. Verhoeven liked comic drawing; he created ''The Killer'', a character in a detailed story of revenge. Other fiction he liked included ''
Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...
'' and the
Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American writer, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best known for creating the characters Tarzan (who appeared in ...
Barsoom Barsoom is a fictional representation of the planet Mars created by American pulp fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs. The first Barsoom tale was serialized as ''Under the Moons of Mars'' in pulp magazine '' The All-Story'' from February to Jul ...
series. Verhoeven attended public secondary school
Gymnasium Haganum The Gymnasium Haganum is one of the oldest Public school (government funded), public schools in the Netherlands, located in the city of The Hague. First mentioned in 1327, the school is currently housed in a monumental Renaissance Revival architec ...
in The Hague. Later, beginning in 1955, he studied at
Leiden University Leiden University (abbreviated as ''LEI''; ) is a Public university, public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. Established in 1575 by William the Silent, William, Prince of Orange as a Protestantism, Protestant institution, it holds the d ...
. He graduated with a
doctorandus Doctorandus (; ; drs.) is a Dutch academic title according to the pre- Bachelor– Master system. The female form is doctoranda (dra.; this form is not commonly used). The title is acquired by passing the ''doctoraalexamen'', the exam which usua ...
(MSc) with a double major, in
mathematics Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many ar ...
and
physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...
.


Career


Short films and TV series (1960–1969)

Verhoeven made his first film ''Één hagedis teveel'' ("''One Lizard Too Many''") for the anniversary of his students' corps in 1960. In his last years at university Verhoeven also attended classes at the Netherlands Film Academy. After this he made three more short films: ''Nothing Special'' (1961), ''The Hitchhikers'' (1962) and ''Let's Have a Party'' (1963). Verhoeven has not professionally used his mathematics and physics degree, opting instead to invest his energies in a career in film. After his studies, he entered the
Royal Dutch Navy The Royal Netherlands Navy (, ) is the Navy, maritime service branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. It traces its history to 8 January 1488, making it the List of navies, third-oldest navy in the world. During the 17th and early 18th centurie ...
as a conscript. He made the documentary ''Het Korps Mariniers'' ("''The Marine Corps''", 1965), which won the French 'Golden Sun' award for military films. When he left the Navy, Verhoeven took his skills to Dutch television. First, he made a documentary about
Anton Mussert Anton Adriaan Mussert (; 11 May 1894 – 7 May 1946) was a Dutch politician who co-founded the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands (NSB) in 1931 and served as its leader until the party was banned in 1945. As such, he was the most pro ...
titled ''Mussert'' (1968). His first major success was the 1969 television series '' Floris'', starring
Rutger Hauer Rutger Oelsen Hauer (; 23 January 1944 – 19 July 2019) was a Dutch actor, with a career that spanned over 170 roles across nearly 50 years, beginning in 1969. In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century. H ...
in the title role. The concept of ''Floris'' was inspired by foreign series such as ''
Ivanhoe ''Ivanhoe: A Romance'' ( ) by Walter Scott is a historical novel published in three volumes, in December 1819, as one of the Waverley novels. It marked a shift away from Scott's prior practice of setting stories in Scotland and in the more ...
'' and '' Thierry La Fronde''.


First feature films (1969–1983)

Verhoeven's first feature film '' Business Is Business'' was released in 1971 and was not well received. His first national success came in 1973 with ''
Turkish Delight Turkish delight, or lokum () is a family of confectionery, confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often fl ...
'', starring Rutger Hauer and
Monique van de Ven Monica Maria Theresia "Monique" van de Ven (; born 28 July 1952) is a Dutch actress and director. Career Van de Ven's film debut as an actress was in the Paul Verhoeven film ''Turkish Delight'' in 1973. This film was an immediate breakthrough ...
. Based on a novel by bestselling Dutch author
Jan Wolkers Jan Hendrik Wolkers (26 October 1925 – 19 October 2007) was a Dutch author, sculptor and painter. Wolkers is considered by some to be one of the "Great Four" writers of post-World War II Dutch literature, alongside Willem Frederik Hermans, H ...
, ''Turkish Delight'' tells the passionate love story of an artist and a young liberal girl from a conservative background. It received an
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 1974. In 1999, the film won a
Golden Calf According to the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran, the golden calf () was a cult image made by the Israelites when Moses went up to Mount Sinai (bible), Mount Sinai. In Hebrew, the incident is known as "the sin of the calf" (). It is first mentio ...
for Best Dutch Film of the Century. '' Katie Tippel'' (1975) again featured Hauer and van de Ven, but it did not match the success of ''Turkish Delight''. Verhoeven built on his reputation and achieved international success with the
Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Januar ...
-nominated '' Soldier of Orange'' (1977), starring Rutger Hauer and
Jeroen Krabbé Jeroen Aart Krabbé (; born 5 December 1944) is a Dutch actor, film director and painter with a successful career in both Dutch- and English-language films. He is best known to international audiences for his leading roles in the Paul Verhoeven ...
. Based on a true story about the Dutch resistance in
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, it was written by
Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema Siebren Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema (3 April 1917 – 26 September 2007) was a Dutch writer who became a resistance fighter and RAF pilot during the Second World War. Near the end of the war he was adjudant (assistant) to Wilhelmina of the Netherl ...
. ''Soldier of Orange'' received the 1979 LA Film Critics Award for best foreign-language film, and it was also nominated for a Golden Globe in 1980. In 1980, Verhoeven made ''
Spetters ''Spetters'' (English translation: ''Splashes'') is a Dutch film released in 1980 and directed by Paul Verhoeven. The film follows the lives of three young men who have little in common but their love for dirt-bike racing. Set on the outskirts o ...
'' with
Renée Soutendijk Renette Pauline Soutendijk (born 21 May 1957), known professionally as Renée Soutendijk (), is a Dutch actress. A gymnast in her youth, Soutendijk began her acting career in the late 1970s. She was a favorite star of director Paul Verhoeven's fi ...
and Rutger Hauer. The story is sometimes compared to ''
Saturday Night Fever ''Saturday Night Fever'' is a 1977 American Dance in film, dance Drama (film and television), drama film directed by John Badham and produced by Robert Stigwood. It stars John Travolta as Tony Manero, a young Italian Americans, Italian-America ...
'', but it has more explicit violence and sexuality (in this case also homosexuality), which are sometimes seen as the director's trademarks. '' The Fourth Man'' (1983) is a horror film starring Jeroen Krabbé and Renée Soutendijk. It was written by
Gerard Soeteman Gerard Soeteman (1 July 1936 – 16 May 2025) was a Dutch screenwriter and comics writer. , comics based on his TV series '' Floris'' He worked together with Paul Verhoeven on several films, such as ''Turkish Delight'' and '' Black Book''. He al ...
from a novel by the Dutch writer
Gerard Reve Gerard Kornelis van het Reve (14 December 1923 – 8 April 2006) was a Dutch writer. He started writing as Simon Gerard van het Reve and adopted the shorter Gerard Reve in 1973. Together with Willem Frederik Hermans and Harry Mulisch, he i ...
, and was Verhoeven's last Dutch production until '' Black Book'' (2006). ''
The Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is an American daily newspaper based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891, ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. The Seattle Time ...
'' praised Verhoeven by saying he "often appears to be a one-man Dutch movie industry". ''
The San Diego Union-Tribune ''The San Diego Union-Tribune'' is a metropolitan daily newspaper published in San Diego, California, that has run since 1868. Its name derives from a 1992 merger between the two major daily newspapers at the time, ''The San Diego Union'' and ...
'' called Verhoeven "a busy bee whose movies pollinate the festival circuit".


Filmmaking in the United States (1983–2000)

Gerard Soeteman also wrote the script for Verhoeven's first English-language film, '' Flesh and Blood'' (1985), which starred
Rutger Hauer Rutger Oelsen Hauer (; 23 January 1944 – 19 July 2019) was a Dutch actor, with a career that spanned over 170 roles across nearly 50 years, beginning in 1969. In 1999, he was named by the Dutch public as the Best Dutch Actor of the Century. H ...
and
Jennifer Jason Leigh Jennifer Jason Leigh (born Jennifer Leigh Morrow; February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough in the teen film ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982). She re ...
. Verhoeven moved to Hollywood for a wider range of opportunities in filmmaking. Working in the U.S., he made a serious change in style, directing big-budget, violent, special-effects-heavy hits ''RoboCop'' (1987) and ''Total Recall'' (1990)⁠ — each of which won an Academy Special Achievement Award: ''
RoboCop ''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American Science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen (actress), Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Dani ...
'' for Sound Effects Editing and '' Total Recall'' for Visual Effects. Verhoeven followed those successes with ''
Basic Instinct ''Basic Instinct'' is a 1992 erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. Starring Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Wayne Knight, the film follows the detective Nick ...
'' (1992), an erotic thriller. The film's most notorious scene shows
Sharon Stone Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress and film producer. Known for primarily playing femmes fatales and women of mystery on film and television, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1990s. She is the ...
's character in a police interrogation, where she uncrosses her legs, briefly revealing her vulva (she does not wear underwear underneath her skirt). The film received two Academy Award nominations, for Film Editing and for Original Music, and was the ninth-highest-grossing film of the year. During this time, Verhoeven also worked on creating an historical epic based around the
Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...
that would have starred
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
. It went into pre-production in 1993, but a year later the studio backing it,
Carolco Carolco Pictures, Inc. was an American independent film studio that was founded by Mario Kassar and Andrew G. Vajna in 1976. Kassar and Vajna ran Carolco together until 1989, when Vajna left to form Cinergi Pictures. Carolco hit its peak in ...
, pulled funding for the project. Verhoeven would continue to discuss it throughout the 1990s. Verhoeven's next film was the poorly received,
NC-17 The Motion Picture Association film rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion picture ...
-rated ''
Showgirls ''Showgirls'' is a 1995 erotic drama film directed by Paul Verhoeven, written by Joe Eszterhas, starring Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, Gina Gershon, Glenn Plummer, Robert Davi, Alan Rachins, and Gina Ravera. The film focuses on an ambi ...
'' (1995), about a stripper in
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
trying to make a career as a showgirl. It won seven
Golden Raspberry Awards The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic failures. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, the Razzi ...
, including Worst Film and Worst Director; Verhoeven became the first director to accept his award in person. To date, he is one of the few people to have accepted their Golden Raspberry awards in person, and the first to directly attend the ceremony to receive it. ''Showgirls'' enjoyed a large amount of success on the
home video Home video is recorded media sold or Video rental shop, rented for home viewing. The term originates from the VHS and Betamax era, when the predominant medium was videotapes, but has carried over to optical disc formats such as DVD and Blu-ray. ...
market, generating more than $100 million from video rentals, and became one of
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
's top twenty all-time bestsellers. After ''Basic Instinct'' and ''Showgirls'', Verhoeven returned to the science fiction genre, utilizing the graphic violence and special-effects tropes that had marked his earlier films, making ''
Starship Troopers ''Starship Troopers'' is a military science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Written in a few weeks in reaction to the US suspending nuclear tests, the story was first published as a two-part serial in ''The Magazine of ...
'' (1997), loosely based on the novel of the same name by
Robert A. Heinlein Robert Anson Heinlein ( ; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific acc ...
, as well as ''
Hollow Man ''Hollow Man'' is a 2000 science fiction horror thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven, written by Andrew W. Marlowe, and starring Elisabeth Shue, Kevin Bacon, Josh Brolin, Kim Dickens, Greg Grunberg, Joey Slotnick, Mary Randle, and Will ...
'' (2000). Each film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects. He also served as an executive producer on an animated TV series called '' Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles'', which was based on the movie and novel of ''Starship Troopers''. The series only ran for a single season, from August 1999 until April 2000.


Return to Europe (2006–2021)

After about twenty years of working and living in the United States, Verhoeven returned to the Netherlands for the shooting of a new film. Together with his screenwriter
Gerard Soeteman Gerard Soeteman (1 July 1936 – 16 May 2025) was a Dutch screenwriter and comics writer. , comics based on his TV series '' Floris'' He worked together with Paul Verhoeven on several films, such as ''Turkish Delight'' and '' Black Book''. He al ...
, Verhoeven made '' Black Book'' (2006). The director was hailed by the host of the
Netherlands Film Festival The Netherlands Film Festival () is an annual film festival, held in September and October of each year in the city of Utrecht. During the ten-day festival, Dutch film productions and co-productions are exhibited. Besides feature films, the prog ...
with the words "The return of a hero". ''Black Book'' won six Golden Calves at this festival, including Best Director. When the shooting of ''Black Book'' was delayed due to financial issues, there was speculation about a new production. '' Beast of Bataan'' had been announced, but once the shooting for ''Black Book'' resumed, the other film was not made. Verhoeven was knighted in the
Order of the Netherlands Lion The Order of the Netherlands Lion, also known as the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (, ) is a Dutch honours system, Dutch order of chivalry founded by William I of the Netherlands on 29 September 1815. The Order of the Netherlands Lion wa ...
in 2007. Since ''Black Book'', Verhoeven has been connected to a large number of projects, but in the first decade after his return, none came to fruition. Some of those titles were produced with other directors at the helm, such as '' The Paperboy''. In 2016, however, Verhoeven followed ''Black Book'' by directing a French film: ''
Elle Elle may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication ** Elle Style Awards * Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition * Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film * ''Elle: ...
'', an adaptation of a novel by
Philippe Djian Philippe Djian (; born 3 June 1949) is a popular French author of Armenian descent. He won the 2012 Prix Interallié for the novel ''"Oh..." (Elle'' for the English translation). Life and career Djian graduated from the Ecole Supérieure de Jo ...
. A psychological thriller in which
Isabelle Huppert Isabelle Anne Madeleine Huppert (; born 16 March 1953) is a French actress. Known for her portrayals of cold, austere women devoid of morality, she is considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation. With 16 nominations and two win ...
plays a rape victim, ''Elle'' was selected for the Official Competition at the Cannes International Film Festival, where it obtained very favourable reviews. In December 2016, it was announced that Verhoeven would be the president of the jury for the
67th Berlin International Film Festival The 67th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 9 to 18 February 2017 with Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven as president of the jury. '' Django'', directed by Etienne Comar, opened the festival. The Golden Bear was awarded to the ...
, scheduled to take place in February 2017. In April 2017, it was announced that filming of '' Benedetta'', his next French film, would begin in August of the same year. It is a biopic about the life of
Benedetta Carlini Benedetta Carlini (20 January 1590 – 7 August 1661) was an Italian Catholic nun. As abbess of the Convent of the Mother of God at Pescia, she was best known for her claims of experiencing mystic visions as well as a reported lesbian relations ...
, portrayed by ''Elle'' co-star
Virginie Efira Virginie Efira (born 5 May 1977) is a Belgian and French actress. She had her first leading role in '' It Boy'' (2013). Efira subsequently received praise for '' In Bed with Victoria'' (2016), for which she received a Magritte Award for Best Act ...
, and is an adaptation of the non-fiction book '' Immodest Acts: The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy'' by
Judith C. Brown Judith C. Brown (born 1946) is an American historian and a Professor Emerita of History at Wesleyan University. A specialist on the Italian Renaissance, she is considered a pioneer in the study of the history of sexuality whose work explored the ea ...
. In May 2018, it was announced that
Charlotte Rampling Tessa Charlotte Rampling (born 5 February 1946) is an English actress. An icon of the Swinging London, Swinging Sixties, she began her career as a model. She was cast in the role of Meredith in the 1966 film ''Georgy Girl'', which starred Lynn ...
would play a key supporting role. The film premiered at the
2021 Cannes Film Festival The 74th annual Cannes Film Festival took place from 6 to 17 July 2021, after having been originally scheduled from 11 to 22 May 2021. American filmmaker Spike Lee was invited to be the president of the jury for the main competition for the fes ...
in competition for the
Palme d'Or The (; ) is the highest prize awarded to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festiv ...
.


Return to filmmaking in the United States (2022–present)

Verhoeven is currently preparing his next film, ''Young Sinner'', which reunites him with ''
RoboCop ''RoboCop'' is a 1987 American Science fiction film, science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner. The film stars Peter Weller, Nancy Allen (actress), Nancy Allen, Dan O'Herlihy, Dani ...
'' screenwriter
Edward Neumeier Edward Neumeier (born August 24, 1957) is an American screenwriter best known for his work on the science fiction movies ''RoboCop'' and ''Starship Troopers (film), Starship Troopers''. He wrote the latter's sequels ''Starship Troopers 2: Hero o ...
. An erotic political thriller, it is set in Washington DC and is about a "young staffer who works for a powerful Senator ndis drawn into a web of international intrigue and danger." Verhoeven hoped to begin shooting ''Young Sinner'' in 2024, but in November of that year, he was still trying to secure financing.


Unrealized projects


Other activities

Verhoeven was a member of the
Jesus Seminar The Jesus Seminar was a group of about 50 biblical criticism scholars and 100 laymen founded in 1985 by Robert Funk that originated under the auspices of the Westar Institute.''Making Sense of the New Testament'' by Craig Blomberg (Mar 1, 200 ...
, and he was the only member who does not have a degree in
biblical studies Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible, with ''Bible'' referring to the books of the canonical Hebrew Bible in mainstream Jewish usage and the Christian Bible including the can ...
. He graduated with a degree in mathematics and physics from the University of Leiden. Since he is not a professional biblical
exegete Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretation ...
, his membership in the Jesus Seminar has occasionally been cited by opponents of the Seminar as a sign that this group is less scholarly than it claims. For example,
Luke Timothy Johnson Luke Timothy Johnson (born November 20, 1943) is an American Catholic New Testament scholar and historian of early Christianity. He is the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Candler School of Theology and a Sen ...
criticizes the Jesus Seminar's methods on exegetical grounds, and also criticizes what he perceives to be a dependence on the theatrical and an attempt to manipulate the mainstream media. He singles out Verhoeven as a key player in the media activities of the Jesus Seminar. On the other hand, some Jesus Seminar members were unhappy with Verhoeven's portrayal of Jesus as an
eschatological Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of present age, human history, or the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that negative world ...
prophet In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...
. In 2007, Verhoeven wrote the book ''Jesus of Nazareth'' () about the life of Jesus of Nazareth. The book reviews the ideas of Jesus of
Nazareth Nazareth is the largest Cities in Israel, city in the Northern District (Israel), Northern District of Israel. In its population was . Known as "the Arab capital of Israel", Nazareth serves as a cultural, political, religious, economic and ...
and the alleged corruption of these same ideas over the last 2,000 years. Co-written with Verhoeven's biographer Rob Van Scheers, the book is the culmination of the research Verhoeven conducted in preparation for ''Jesus: The Man'', a motion picture about the life of Christ. The book tells about the Jewish uprising against Roman rule and characterizes Jesus as a radical political activist, downplaying any supernatural events and miracles as unproved or unprovable. ''Jesus of Nazareth: A Realistic Portrait'' was released in September 2008 in Dutch, and was published in English in May 2010 by
Seven Stories Press Seven Stories Press is an independent American publishing company. Based in New York City, the company was founded by Dan Simon in 1995, after establishing Four Walls Eight Windows in 1984 as an imprint at Writers and Readers, and then incorpor ...
.


Personal life

In 1967, Verhoeven married Martine Tours, with whom he has two daughters.


Filmography


Short films


Feature films


Television


Awards and nominations


Film festivals


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Verhoeven, Paul 1938 births Living people 20th-century Dutch male writers 21st-century Dutch male writers Action film directors Best Director Lumières Award winners Dutch critics Dutch documentary film directors Dutch documentary filmmakers Dutch expatriates in the United States Dutch film directors Dutch male screenwriters Dutch screenwriters Dutch television critics Dutch television directors French-language film directors German-language film directors Golden Calf winners Golden Globe Award winners Knights of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Leiden University alumni Male television writers Mass media people from The Hague Members of the Jesus Seminar Postmodernist filmmakers Royal Netherlands Navy personnel Dutch science fiction film directors Dutch satirists Dutch satirical film directors