Basic Instinct is a 1992 erotic thriller mystery 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 San Francisco homicide detective Nick Curran (Douglas) as he investigates the murder of rock star Johnny Boz, only to begin an intense relationship with the prime suspect Catherine Tramell (Stone), a wealthy heiress and crime novelist.