The upcoming Stephen Soderbergh virus thriller "Contagion" charts the transmission of an H1N1-like global pandemic, with key scenes set in Minneapolis. Though it was filmed in locations around the world, including Hong Kong, Macau. Abu Dhabi, London, San Francisco and Geneva, none of it was shot here. Chicago suburbs stand in for the Twin Cities.
The film, starring Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Lawrence Fishburne and Marion Cotillard, was written by Golden Valley native Scott Z. Burns (who wrote "The Bourne Ultimatum," and produced "An Inconvenient Truth.") Here's the trailer.
"Contagion" begins with Gwyneth Paltrow's character, Beth Emhoff, flying back to Minneapolis after a business trip to Hong Kong, where she was exposed to a mysterious ailment. Beth suffers a seizure, and the deadly virus spreads uncontrollably across Minneapolis as children transmit it through the schools, and around the world via international flights from the airport. As Beth's condition worsens, Thomas (Damon) cares for her and his young step-son, demands answers and takes matters into his own hands to protect his family. In another dash of local color, Wisconsin erects a quarantine roadblock, with National Guard troops turning back panicked Minnesota drivers at bridges over the St. Croix. Fishburne, Winslet and Cotillard play medical experts racing to find a cure as thousands die, systems break down and hysteria reigns. Jude Law plays a conspiracy-chasing blogger who spreads both valid and inaccurate information about the disease. Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad"), Elliott Gould and Minnesota-born Oscar nominee John Hawkes co-star.
"Contagion" opens Sept. 9.
