Drop Dead Fred is a 1991 black comedy fantasy film directed by Ate de Jong, produced by PolyGram and Working Title Films and released and distributed by New Line Cinema, starring Phoebe Cates as a young woman named Elizabeth Cronin and Rik Mayall as her imaginary friend, Drop Dead Fred, with Marsha Mason, Tim Matheson, Carrie Fisher and Ron Eldard in supporting roles. It follows Elizabeth as she is haunted by Fred in adulthood. It received negative reviews from critics, but has since become a cult film.