Dick Tracy is a pulp action film based on the 1930s comic strip character of the same name created by Chester Gould. Warren Beatty produced, directed, and starred in the film, which features supporting roles from Al Pacino, Madonna, Glenne Headly and Charlie Korsmo. Dick Tracy depicts the detective's love relationships with Breathless Mahoney (Madonna) and Tess Truehart (Headley), as well as his conflicts with crime boss Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice (Pacino). Tracy also begins his upbringing of "The Kid" (Korsmo).

Development of the film started in the early 1980s with Tom Mankiewicz assigned to write the script. The project also went through directors Steven Spielberg, John Landis, Walter Hill and Richard Benjamin before the arrival of Beatty. Filming was entirely at Universal Studios, whereas Max Allan Collins was involved in heavy controversies with Disney concerning the novelization of the film, and the screenplay. Danny Elfman was hired to compose the film score, and the music was featured on three separate soundtrack albums.

Dick Tracy was finally released in 1990. It received mixed reviews, but was generally a success at the box office and at awards time. It picked up seven Academy Award nominations and won in three of the categories. A sequel was planned, but a controversy over the film rights ensued between Beatty and Tribune Media Services, so a second film has not been produced.