The Black Dahlia is a 2006 neo-noir mystery film directed by Brian De Palma, adapted by Josh Friedman from James Ellroy's 1987 novel, the first in his L.A. Quartet series. It stars Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank and Mia Kirshner. Inspired by the widely sensationalized murder of Elizabeth Short, its plot follows Bucky Bleichert and Lee Blanchard, two LAPD detectives investigating the case, leading them through a series of shocking discoveries. The rights to the novel were optioned by De Palma in 1997, with David Fincher originally attached to direct.