Former Navy SEAL Jason Cabell has assembled a cast that also includes Leslie Bibb, Laurence Fishburne and Cole Hauser for his directorial debut.

Nicolas Cage leads a cast that includes Laurence Fishburne, Leslie Bibb, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Clifton Collins Jr, Cole Hauser and Peter Facinelli for the border-crossing drug trade thriller Running With the Devil.


Jason Cabell, a former active-combat Navy SEAL, wrote and is directing the movie, which began production this week in New Mexico.


Cabell drew on his real-life experiences — he worked with the DEA in Colombia and served in more than 100 countries, including Iraq, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter — to chronicle the story of a cocaine shipment that travels from Mexico though the U.S. to Canada. When the shipment is compromised to the dismay of a cartel leader known as The Boss (Pepper), he orders his most trusted Cook (Cage) and another master drug trafficker, The Man (Fishburne), on a dangerous journey to audit the company’s supply chain.


The script includes the characters The Farmer (Collins Jr.) ,who works with his wife and children in the jungles of Colombia; The Executioner (Hauser), who helps the Cook and the Man; and The Snitch (Goldberg), who is compromised and threatens to reveal secrets.


Also in the mix are Agent in Charge (Bibb) and her Number One (Facinelli), who dog the cartel.


Patriot Pictures’ Michael Mendelsohn, who previously worked with Cage on Vengeance: A Love Story and USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage, is producing with Jim Steele. Mike Nilon, Etchie Stroh and Natalie Perrotta are executive producing.


Queen of Colombia Pictures, LLC is fully financing the film. Etchie Stroh is handling international sales.


Cage is coming off of the buzz-generating action movie Mandy, which premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival and was picked up for distribution by RIje Films. He is repped by WME and Stride Management.