UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – Production has begun on Universal Pictures’ and Beacon Pictures’ “Spy Game,” a thriller starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt under the direction of Tony Scott
(“Enemy of the State,” “Crimson Tide”). Co-starring Catherine McCormack (“Braveheart”), the film’s original screenplay is by Michael Frost Beckner, with Douglas Wick (“Gladiator,” “Stuart Little”) and Marc Abraham “Bring It On,” “The Family Man”) producing and Iain Smith and James
Skotchdopole serving as executive producers. Principal photography began
earlier this month in Oxford, England, with the company moving to locations in
Hungary and Morocco.
The film reunites Pitt and Redford for the first time since 1992 when
Redford directed Pitt in his breakthrough performance in the family drama,
“A River Runs Through It.”
In “Spy Game,” CIA operative Nathan Muir (Redford) is on the point of
retiring from the field when he learns his protege Tom Bishop (Pitt) has been
arrested in China on a charge of espionage. No stranger to the machinations
of the CIA’s top echelon, Muir hones all his skills and irreverent manner in
order to find a way to free Bishop. As he embarks on his mission, Muir
recalls how he recruited and trained the young rookie, then a serving sergeant
in Vietnam, their turbulent times together as front-line operatives and the
woman who ultimately threatened their friendship.
Behind the cameras, the distinguished production team includes director of
photography Dan Mindel (“Shanghai Noon,” “Enemy of the State”), editor
Christian Wagner (“Mission: Impossible II,” “The Negotiator,” “Face/Off”),
production designer Norris Spencer (“Plunkett and Macleane,” “Thelma and
Louise,” “Black Rain”) and costume designer Louise Frogley (“Traffic,”
“The Limey,” “Stigmata,” “Executive Decision”).
Robert Redford has received international acclaim as an actor, director
and producer. In 1969, he teamed with Paul Newman to star in “Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid.” The film became an instant classic and established
Redford as one of the industry’s top leading men. He later reunited with
Newman in “The Sting,” which won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, in
addition to bringing Redford a Best Actor nomination.
He has since had a wide array of starring roles in such films as
“Jeremiah Johnson,” “The Way We Were,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Three Days of the
Condor,” “Brubaker,” “The Natural,” “Out of Africa,” “Legal Eagles,”
“Sneakers,” “Indecent Proposal” and “Up Close and Personal.”
Redford won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Directors
Guild of America Award for his feature film directorial debut for
“Ordinary People.” He went on to both direct and produce “The Milagro
Beanfield War”; “A River Runs Through It,” for which he garnered a Best
Director Golden Globe nomination; “Quiz Show,” earning duel Oscar
nominations for Best Picture and Best Director and another Golden Globe
nomination for Best Director and “The Horse Whisperer,” which brought him his
fourth Golden Globe nod for Best Director. His most recent directorial
feature is “The Legend of Bagger Vance.”
Brad Pitt has emerged as one of the most prominent actors of his
generation following such diverse performances as “Fight Club,” “Seven Years
in Tibet,” “Legends of the Fall,” “Seven” and “Twelve Monkeys.” His role as
the seductive hitchhiker in Ridley Scott’s “Thelma and Louise” first brought
him national attention. He then went on to star as the psychopathic serial
killer in “Kalifornia,” in Robert Redford’s “A River Runs Through It” and as
the bloodsucking Louis in Neil Jordan’s “Interview With the Vampire.”
Pitt won a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting
Actor for his role in Terry Gilliam’s “Twelve Monkeys.” He also received a
Golden Globe nomination for “Legends of the Fall.”
He also starred in “Johnny Suede,” “Cool World,” Tony Scott’s
“True Romance,” “Sleepers,” “The Devil’s Own” and “Meet Joe Black.” Currently
in Guy Ritchie’s “Snatch,” Pitt will next be seen co-starring with Julia
Roberts in “The Mexican.”
Catherine McCormack who is cast as Elizabeth Hadley, an aid worker
involved with both government agents, is one of Britain’s most in-demand young
actors. In 1995 she achieved her big screen breakthrough co-starring with
Mel Gibson in the Academy Award-winning Best Picture, “Braveheart.”
Since then her screen credits have included, the comedy “Land Girls,”
“Dangerous Beauty,” “Dancing At Lughnasa” starring Meryl Streep, “This Year’s
Love,” “Shadow of the Vampire,” “Rumor of Angels,” “The Weight of the Water,”
“Born Romantic” and John Boorman’s “The Tailor From Panama,” co-starring
Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush.
British director Tony Scott has had a consistent string of successes in
film following his 1983 debut feature “The Hunger,” a modern vampire story
starring Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie and Susan Sarandon. This was followed
by the globally successful “Top Gun” starring Tom Cruise. Scott then went on
to direct “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Revenge,” “Days of Thunder,” “The Last Boy
Scout” and the critically-acclaimed “True Romance.”
In 1995, Scott garnered rave reviews for the taut thriller “Crimson Tide”
starring Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. This was followed by “The Fan”
starring Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes. Scott’s most recent film was
“Enemy of the State” starring Will Smith and Gene Hackman, which was produced
by Jerry Bruckheimer.
Producer Douglas Wick and his Red Wagon Entertainment have completed a
groundbreaking year that includes “Stuart Little” which has earned over
$300 million worldwide, “Gladiator,” a worldwide phenomenon which has earned
$440 million worldwide, “Hollowman” which opened at number one in major
markets around the world and the critically acclaimed “Girl Interrupted”
starring two time Academy Award nominee Winona Ryder, and Angelina Jolie
who won both an Oscar and a Golden Globe award for her performance in the
film.
Producer Marc Abraham is president of Beacon Communications, one of the
industry’s most innovative production companies known for critically-acclaimed
films such as “The Commitments,” “A Midnight Clear,” “Sugar Hill” and
“Princess Caraboo.” Abraham recently executive produced “The Hurricane” which
garnered three Golden Globe nominations and an Oscar nomination for Denzel
Washington, “End of Days” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, “For Love of the
Game” starring Kevin Costner and “Air Force One” starring Harrison Ford, a
worldwide hit which has earned $300 million to date.
