This article was corrected on November 26, 2001.

In this era of “new civility,” many studios tabled the release of their more violent features. But a determined Stacey Snider and her team at Universal Pictures decided to go full speed ahead, adhering to the original release date for their terrorism-themed “Spy Game.”

On Nov. 19 at the Mann National in Westwood, a plethora of stars showed up in support of the Robert Redford-Brad Pitt starrer, which features a pivotal scene involving a suicide bomber successfully taking down a building.

“Test screenings significantly improved in the months after the terrorist attacks,” U chairman Snider said at the Napa Valley Grill after-party.

“The competition opted out and we went ahead.”

“We’ve taken the lead,” said helmer Tony Scott. “We know we’re the first to go up against a different kind of audience.”

Producer Doug Wick predicts today’s audience is “more curious about how men and women do this job (espionage work) and the difficult choices they have to make.”

Those choosing to spend the evening with Hollywood couple Pitt and Jennifer Aniston included U execs Marc Shmuger, Mary Parent, Scott Stuber, Nikki Rocco and Peter Adee; co-star Catherine McCormack; screenwriters Michael Frost Beckner and David Arata; and guests Anne Archer, Brian Benben, Selma Blair, Bernie Brillstein, Vin Diesel, Melissa Etheridge, Brad Grey, Daryl Hannah, Salma Hayek with Edward Norton, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, Catherine Keener, Lucy Lawless, Camryn Manheim, Breckin Meyer, Dermot Mulroney, Mark Ruffalo, Ridley Scott, Christian Slater and Madeleine Stowe.