It was revealed last September that Unbroken helmer Angelina Jolie had found a new directing project (to be her fourth overall) in Skydance Productions’ Africa, a sweeping epic based on Eric Roth’s screenplay about paleo-archaeologist Richard Leakey’s battle with ivory poachers that threaten the existence of the African elephant population and the very soul of Africa. Today, TheWrap reveals that Jolie is looking at her real-life husband, actor Brad Pitt, to play the Leakey role.
“I’ve felt a deep connection to Africa and its culture for much of my life,” Jolie said when the project was first announced last year, “and was taken with Eric’s beautiful script about a man drawn into the violent conflict with elephant poachers who emerged with a deeper understanding of man’s footprint and a profound sense of responsibility for the world around him.”
Jolie previously worked onscreen with Pitt in Doug Liman’s 2005 action comedy Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and both talents are currently reteaming for Universal Pictures’ By the Sea. Jolie is directing that project from her own original script and also plans to star opposite Pitt, Mélanie Laurent and Niels Arestrup.
Africa is set to be produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Jon Peters and Jolie herself. Cinematographer Roger Deakins, who also Unbroken, is also set to reteam with Jolie for the production.
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