Claim: Basic Instinct has been released.

Basic Instinct is a 1992 neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas , and starring Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone . The film follows a police detective , Nick Curran -LRB- Douglas -RRB- , who is investigating the brutal murder of a wealthy rock star . During the investigation Curran becomes involved in a torrid and intense relationship with the prime suspect , Catherine Tramell -LRB- Stone -RRB- , an enigmatic writer .   Even before its release , Basic Instinct generated heated controversy due to its overt sexuality and graphic depiction of violence . It was strongly opposed by gay rights activists , who criticized the film 's depiction of homosexual relationships and the portrayal of a bisexual woman as a murderous narcissistic psychopath . In a 2006 interview , Stone alleged that the infamous leg-crossing scene in which her vulva was exposed was filmed without her knowledge .   Despite initial critical negativity and public protest , Basic Instinct became one of the most financially successful films of the 1990s , grossing $ 352 million worldwide . Several versions of the film have been released on videocassette , DVD , and Blu-ray including a director 's cut with extended footage previously unseen in North American cinemas . The film has contemporarily been recognized for its groundbreaking depictions of sexuality in mainstream Hollywood cinema , and has been referred to by scholars as `` a neo-noir masterpiece that plays with , and transgresses , the narrative rules of film noir . '' A 2006 sequel , Basic Instinct 2 starring Stone was made without Verhoeven 's involvement , but received negative reviews from critics and was unsuccessful at the box office .