The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy drama film directed by David Fincher and adapted by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord from F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1922 short story. The film stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse and Cate Blanchett as his love interest throughout his life. The film also stars Taraji P. Henson, Julia Ormond, Jason Flemyng, Elias Koteas, and Tilda Swinton. Producer Ray Stark bought the film rights to do the short story in the mid-1980s with Universal Pictures backing the film, but struggled to get the project off the ground until he sold the rights to producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall in the 1990s.