H & Z Produce the Movie, "Traffic"

"Traffic" began production yesterday. USA Films, a division of USA Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: USAI), is co-producing, with IEG (Initial Entertainment Group), director Steven Soderbergh's crime drama, starring an ensemble cast that includes Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. USA Films will distribute the film domestically, while IEG holds foreign distribution rights. The announcement of the start of production was made by USA Films chairman Scott Greenstein and president Russell Schwartz; and Graham King, CEO of IEG.

The producers are Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, and Laura Bickford. The executive producers are Rick Solomon, Mike Newell and Cameron Jones of Fifty Cannon, Graham King, and Andreas Klein. The screenplay, by Stephen Gaghan (who also wrote the current 1 film at the U.S. boxoffice, "Rules of Engagement"), is an updated adaptation of the acclaimed 1989 U.K. television miniseries "Traffik."

"Traffic" is a contemporary thriller that focuses on the United States' ongoing drug wars from both within and outside of our borders. Without taking a position, the film evokes the high-stakes, high-risk world of the drug trade, as seen through a series of intertwining stories, some of which are highly personal, some of which are laced with intrigue and danger. The U.S. President's new drug czar, a Kentucky State Supreme Court Justice (played by Douglas), must deal with his increasingly drug-addicted teenage daughter; a wealthy Mexican drug baron about to be arrested learns how fast his pampered wife (played by Zeta-Jones) becomes a quick study; a pair of undercover DEA agents work in the sordid and dangerous world of San Diego dealers; and a border cop sees an opportunity to grab power from his equally corrupt boss.

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Also in the film's ensemble cast are James Brolin ("Pensacola: Wings of Gold"), Don Cheadle (in his second film for Soderbergh, following "Out of Sight"), Erika Christensen (CBS' "Thanks"), Benicio Del Toro ("The Usual Suspects"), Miguel Ferrer ("Twin Peaks"), Topher Grace (of the hit Fox Network series "That '70s Show"), Luis Guzman (in his second film for Soderbergh, following "The Limey"), Amy Irving ("Bossa Nova"), and Dennis Quaid ("Any Given Sunday").

Bickford's producing credits include the feature films "Bongwater" and "Playing God," as well as the Emmy Award-winning HBO telefilm "Citizen X" (as executive producer).

Zwick, along with USA Films President of Production Donna Gigliotti, was one of the Academy Award-winning producers of "Shakespeare in Love"; and, with Herskovitz, produces the acclaimed ABC series "Once and Again."

(rest of the article "snipped")__PR Newswire (April 12, 2000)