TAMPA, Fla (WFLA) — The Tampa Bay area will once again be in the international spotlight when it is featured in the new Bryan Cranston film “The Infiltrator.”

The movie is based on a 2009 memoir written by a former federal agent and Tampa resident Robert Mazur. In 1986, Mazur went undercover and infiltrated the money laundering operations of Pablo Escobar, a Columbia drug lord at the time.

The Infiltrator stars Bryan Cranston and Benjamin Bratt. The stars and director, Brad Furman, walked the red carpet in front of the Tampa Theater Wednesday evening prior to an advanced screening of the film.

This is one of the biggest motion pictures to take place in Tampa since John Travolta and Thomas Jane filmed “The Punisher” in 2003. That film featured Tampa’s Riverfront Tower as well as parts of Ybor City

Local tourism and film officials are excited about the movie’s debut. “The Infiltrator has been a work in progress for several years,” said Dale Gordon, who is the executive director of the Tampa Hillsborough Film and Digital Media Commission.

Gordon believes the film could attract other filmmakers to the area.

“I couldn’t be more proud to share our beloved Tampa on the big screen with the world. And, from a business standpoint, this film will showcase the depth and variety of locations Tampa has to offer filmmakers scouting for unique sites,” he said.

Santiago Corrada is the president and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay and echoed Gordon’s sentiments. “We are excited to join the film commission in hosting the first screening of this major motion picture,” said Corrada.

“Tampa Bay’s unique mix of history and locations is making it a magnet for film and television shoots like ‘The Infiltrator’ and Ben Affleck’s upcoming ‘Live by Night’ that help us tell our story to the world.”

“The Infiltrator” was filmed in 2015 at more than 20 locations in and around Tampa including Ybor City, Franklin Exchange building, Port Tampa Bay, the Tampa Theater and Derby Lane in St. Petersburg just to name a few.

The film is scheduled to hit theaters nationwide on July 13.