Showgirls - Showgirls Sequel Shocks Stripper Star

Controversial 1995 stripper movie SHOWGIRLS is set for an encore - director MARC VORLANDER has directed a sequel.

Showgirls 2: The Story of Hope focuses on the death of blonde stripper Hope, played by Rena Riffel in the original, and the brother who sets out to find those responsible.

Riffel, who plays no part in the sequel, admits she was shocked when a fan sent her the newly-released trailer.

She tells website Slog.com, "A Showgirls fan forwarded me the website last week. I saw my name in it, and I almost fell off my chair."

But she was aware of Vorlander's plans to revisit Paul Verhoeven's movie, which starred Elizabeth Berkley and Gina Gershon.

She explains, "He (Vorlander) contacted me a year ago... He told me he wanted to make a Showgirls sequel and asked if I was interested. I was, but wanted to know how he was dealing with copyright issues and getting rights from the powers-that-be that own the characters from Showgirls. He said he was working it out, raising money, but then I never heard from him again."

But Vorlander tells the website, "I worked together with Rena several months on the pre-production of the film, then, after some artistic differences, we split."