Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Tom Hardy Team for Anti-Poaching Movie at Warner Bros. (Exclusive)

The trio would produce the movie, based on an idea from Hardy about a 'Traffic'-style drama.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Tom Hardy are teaming up to produce an untitled animal-trafficking drama set up at Warner Bros., sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.

Hardy came up with the idea, inspired by friends who are former Special Forces operatives and went on to become anti-poaching fighters in South Africa and other nations.

The goal, say sources, is to make a movie in the vein of Traffic, Steven Soderbergh’s multistory take on the various impacts of the war on drugs. In this case, the story would look at everything from the ground war on poachers in the African savanna to how animal material ends up in the fashion houses of Paris. It's unclear whether DiCaprio, Maguire or Hardy would act in the movie.

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A search for a writer has begun.

DiCaprio and Maguire are lifelong pals but rarely have worked together, though both are starring in The Great Gatsby for Warners, which is set for release in summer 2013.

DiCaprio also is longtime animal-rights activist. Last year, he became the spokesman for a campaign to protect elephants organized by the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Hardy is one of the studio’s new favorite actors, coming off his notable appearances in The Dark Knight Rises and Inception (alongside DiCaprio). Hardy is starting to become active as a producer, having recently set up an untitled biker project at Warner Bros.

DiCaprio is repped by LBI Entertainment and Hansen Jacobson. Maguire is repped by WME, Management 360 and Hansen Jacobson. Hardy is repped by CAA, Sloane Offer and the U.K.’s United Agents.

E-mail: Borys.Kit@thr.com

Twitter: @Borys_Kit