Basic Instinct backdrop
THRILLER . 1992 . 2h 8m . English . 6.9/10

Basic Instinct_

"A brutal murder. A brilliant killer. A cop who can't resist the danger."

Catherine, a novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite, becomes a prime suspect when her boyfriend is brutally murdered -- a crime she had described in her latest story.

Director Paul Verhoeven
Starring Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza
Box Office $352.9M
6.9/10
Rating
$352.9M
Box Office
2h 8m
Runtime
1992
Year
MASSIVE HIT
+620% ROI
Profitability
Updated Feb 16, 2026
Basic Instinct poster
A brutal murder. A brilliant killer. A cop who can't resist the danger.

Catherine, a novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite, becomes a prime suspect when her boyfriend is brutally murdered -- a crime she had described in her latest story.

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DROPTHE_ GOSSIP

Box office
Basic Instinct earned $352.9M worldwide on a $49.0M budget — a 620% return on investment.
Director
Basic Instinct was directed by Paul Verhoeven.
Paul Verhoeven →
Cast
Michael Douglas stars as Detective Nick Curran in Basic Instinct.
Michael Douglas →
Year context
Basic Instinct was released 34 years ago in 1992.

CREW

Director
Writer

BOX OFFICE

$49.0M
Budget
$352.9M
Revenue
+620%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict

DETAILS

Release
Status
Released
Runtime
128 min (2h 8m)
Language
English
Rating
6.9/10 (4,266 votes)
Popularity
9
Budget
$49,000,000
Box Office
$352,927,224
Profit
+$303,927,224
IMDB

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Basic Instinct about?
Catherine, a novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite, becomes a prime suspect when her boyfriend is brutally murdered -- a crime she had described in her latest story.
How long is Basic Instinct?
Basic Instinct has a runtime of 128 minutes (2h 8m).
Who directed Basic Instinct?
Basic Instinct was directed by Paul Verhoeven.
Who stars in Basic Instinct?
The cast of Basic Instinct includes Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Denis Arndt.
How much did Basic Instinct make at the box office?
Basic Instinct earned $352,927,224 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $49,000,000.
What is the rating of Basic Instinct?
Basic Instinct has a rating of 6.9 out of 10 based on 4,266 votes on TMDB.

GENRES (2)

Thriller Mystery

KEYWORDS (24)

dying and death california jealousy sexual obsession police san francisco, california sadism psychopath detective eroticism bisexuality suspicion of murder lover striptease celebrity femme fatale sociopath dead neo-noir erotic thriller manipulative woman book writing killed during sex american giallo
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