Principal photography is underway on Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures' "Paycheck," directed by John Woo and starring Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart and Uma Thurman. A science-fiction, mystery-thriller based on a short story by Philip K. Dick whose work has inspired such films as "Blade Runner," "Total Recall," and "Minority Report," "Paycheck" will be filmed entirely on location and on sound stages in Vancouver, Canada.

Ben Affleck stars as Michael Jennings, a brilliant computer engineer hired by high-tech corporations for specialized top-secret projects. Once a job is complete, Jennings routinely has his short-term memory erased so as not to divulge any sensitive company information to future clients. Highly paid for his work, he expects to earn $4.4billion at the end of his latest 3-year project. But upon completion of the job, instead of a big paycheck, Jennings is handed an envelope filled with random objects and told that he has agreed to forfeit all payment.

With his memory erased as usual, Jennings has no way to prove them wrong until he discovers the objects are clues to the puzzle that once was his past. But with Federal agents hot on his heels, Jennings quickly learns that more than just his paycheck is at stake. In a race against time, Jennings must put the pieces together with the help of Rachel (Uma Thurman), the woman he has worked with and loved for the past three years who rekindles his memory of their life together, before the people he once worked for have him killed.

Rounding out the cast in the film are Paul Giamatti, Colm Feore, Joe Morton and Michael C. Hall.

A John Woo film, Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures present "Paycheck," a John Davis/Lion Rock production in association with Solomon/Hackett productions directed by John Woo and produced by John Davis, Michael Hackett, John Woo and Terence Chang. Stratton Leopold and David Solomon are the film's executive producers with Jeffrey L. Kimball, ASC, serving as cinematographer, William Sandell as production designer, Kevin Stitt, ACE, as editor and Erica Edell Phillips as costume designer. The screenplay is by Dean Georgaris based upon a short story by Phillip K. Dick. Arthur Anderson and Caroline Macaulay serve as the film's co-producers.

"Paycheck" will be released by Paramount Pictures in the United States and Canada at Christmas, 2003. DreamWorks Pictures will be handling the international distribution.