The casting process for the lead roles was exhaustive and intense Craig faced scheduling conflicts, and a number of actresses were sought for the role of Lisbeth Salander. It took the company a few months to obtain the rights to the novel, while also recruiting Zaillian and Fincher. Sony Pictures Entertainment began development on the film, a co-production of the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany, in 2009. He recruits the help of Salander, a computer hacker. Starring Daniel Craig as journalist Mikael Blomkvist and Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander, it tells the story of Blomkvist's investigation to find out what happened to a girl from a wealthy family who disappeared 40 years prior. It was directed by David Fincher with a screenplay by Steven Zaillian. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a 2011 neo-noir psychological thriller film based on the 2005 novel by Swedish writer Stieg Larsson.