Claim: Bradley Cooper appeared in a movie.

Limitless is a 2011 American thriller film directed by Neil Burger . Based on the novel The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn , the film stars Bradley Cooper , Abbie Cornish , and Robert De Niro . The events portrayed in the film follow Edward Morra , a struggling writer , who is introduced to a nootropic drug called NZT-48 , which gives him the ability to fully utilize his brain and vastly improve his lifestyle .   Limitless was released on March 18 , 2011 , and became a box office success after grossing over $ 161 million on a budget of $ 27 million . A television series of the same name , covering events that take place after the film , debuted on September 22 , 2015 , but was cancelled after one season .