Romancing the Stone is a 1984 action-adventure romantic comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Diane Thomas and produced by Michael Douglas who also starred in the film. The film co-stars Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito. Thomas wrote the screenplay in 1979, her only screenplay to be produced in her lifetime. Zemeckis, who at the time was developing Cocoon, liked Thomas' screenplay and offered to direct but 20th Century Fox initially declined, citing the commercial failure of his first two films I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Used Cars. The director would eventually be dismissed from Cocoon after an early screening of Romancing the Stone failed to further impress studio executives. Alan Silvestri, who would collaborate with Zemeckis on his later films, composed the film's score. Romancing the Stone was released on March 30, 1984, to positive reviews from critics and earned over $115 million worldwide at the box office. It was followed by a 1985 sequel titled The Jewel of the Nile.