'Ripley' gang reunites for 'Contagion'

BURBANK, Calif., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- U.S. director Steven Soderbergh has begun shooting "Contagion," a global thriller starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law.

The three previously co-starred in "The Talented Mr. Ripley."

Marion Cotillard, Laurence Fishburne and Kate Winslet also star in the film, Warner Bros. Pictures said this week.

"Contagion" follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days.

"As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. At the same time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart," the studio said.

Filming is to take place on location around the world, including sites in Hong Kong, Macao, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Abu Dhabi, London and Geneva. The movie is slated for release in October 2011.