Steven Spielberg begins filming Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep-starrer 'The Papers'

New York: The shooting of Steven Spielberg’s The Papers — a Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep-starrer drama inspired by actual events — has begun, the makers have announced.

The Papers is produced by Amblin Entertainment, a production label of Amblin Partners, a content creation company formed by DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, Entertainment One (eOne) and India’s Reliance Entertainment.

The film’s principal photography started on May 30 with the Oscar-winning actors, read a statement.

The Papers will tell a story of how in June 1971, The New York Times, the Washington Post and the nation’s major newspapers took a brave stand for freedom of speech and reported on the Pentagon Papers, the massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned four decades and four US Presidents.

At the time, the Post’s Katherine Graham (Streep) was still finding her footing as the country’s first female newspaper publisher, and Ben Bradlee (Hanks), the paper’s volatile, driven editor, was trying to enhance the stature of the struggling, local paper.

Together, the two formed an unlikely team, as they were forced to come together and make the bold decision to support The New York Times and fight the Nixon Administration’s unprecedented attempt to restrict the first amendment.

The movie marks the first time that Streep, Hanks and Spielberg have collaborated on a project.

The script, written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, features an acclaimed ensemble cast including Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons, Matthew Rhys, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bradley Whitford and Zach Woods.

In the US, it will be distributed by Twentieth Century Fox and will be in select theatres on December 22, going wide on January 12, next year.