Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep star in the newly retitled film.
Steven Spielberg’s Pentagon Papers drama is staffing up.

The Fox and Amblin Entertainment film, starring Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, has added 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 to its ensemble cast.

The film, which has been renamed The Papers (originally, The Post) is inspired by The Washington Post’s role in publishing the infamous study about America’s role in the Vietnam War — a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned four decades and four U.S. 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.

Spielberg is directing from a script by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, and also producing with Amy Pascal and Kristie Macosko Krieger. Principal photography began in New York last Tuesday.

Fox will release The Papers in limited theaters Dec. 22, ahead of a wide release Jan. 12.

Paulson, a regular on Ryan Murphy’s anthology series American Horror Story and American Crime Story, is next onscreen in Warner Bros.’ and Village Roadshow’s Oceans 11 spinoff Ocean’s Eight and Liz Garbus’ crime thriller Lost Girls. She is repped by CAA.

Rhys stars in FX’s The Americans, which just wrapped its sixth season. He’s also part of the cast of Warner Bros.’ Jungle Book, directed by Andy Serkis. He is repped by WME and United Agents.

Brie stars in Netflix’s wrestling dramedy series GLOW, created by Jenji Kohan. She is repped by WME and Rise Management.

Odenkirk stars in AMC’s Better Call Saul, which just aired its third season. He is repped by WME and Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter