Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama sports film written, produced, and directed by Cameron Crowe; it stars Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger, and Regina King. Produced in part by James L. Brooks, it was inspired by an experience sports agent Leigh Steinberg (who acted as technical consultant for the film) had with client Tim McDonald during the 1993 NFL season when free agency was introduced to the league. The film was also partly inspired by a 28-page memo written at Disney in 1991 by Jeffrey Katzenberg. It was released in North American theaters on December 13, 1996, produced by Gracie Films, and distributed by TriStar Pictures.