Angelina Jolie stars in thriller ‘Salt’

Movie: "Salt"

When: Opening Friday at local theaters

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwitel Ejiofor

Director: Phillip Noyce

The story: After she's accused of being a Russian spy, a CIA agent goes on the run, using her years of undercover experience to elude capture -- and try to prove her innocence.

The buzz: "Salt's" timing couldn't be better, thanks to this month's real-life Russian spy scandal. But the movie has been in the works for some time. Tom Cruise was initially approached to play the title character, originally scripted as a man. And while director Phillip Noyce knows his way around thriller territory (for proof, check out such intrigue-heavy hits as "Clear and Present Danger" and "The Quiet American"), he wasn't always attached to the project. Before Noyce came aboard, "Hotel Rwanda's" Terry George, "Collateral's" Michael Mann and "The Kingdom's" Peter Berg reportedly came close to calling the shots.