MICHAEL DOUGLAS - DOUGLAS: 'SEX NO LONGER SELLS AT THE CINEMA'

Movie star MICHAEL DOUGLAS blames DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES for the failure of BASIC INSTINCT 2 - because on-screen sex and nudity is no big deal anymore. The actor pulled out of plans for the sequel, but still feels bad for pal SHARON STONE after the film flopped at the box office last month (MAR06). He feels sex no longer sells at the cinema. He says, "Regardless of how Basic Instinct 2 was executed, I think it's really hard for sex in the cinema now because it's 15 years later and you've got all these cable outlets and the internet. "You've got shows like Desperate Housewives where even the network standards have changed so dramatically so there really isn't that titillation factor that you had a number of years ago." Meanwhile, Douglas reveals KIM BASINGER was the original choice for Stone's Basic Instinct vamp CATHERINE TRAMELL, but she passed on the role because it was too raunchy. He adds, "Not a lot of stars wanted to go into the area that the director, PAUL VERHOEVEN, and I wanted to go."