World War Z star Brad Pitt is in negotiations to star in Africa as Richard Leakey. The biopic of the archaeologist will be directed by Angelina Jolie. Her last movie as a director was 2014’s Unbroken.
This won’t be the first time they’ve worked together like this as the married couple recently teamed up for Jolie’s third feature as a director, By the Sea. The two were first seen on screen together in Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
Academy Award winning writer Eric Roth (Forrest Gump) penned the screenplay which focuses on the famous archaeologist who became a staunch defender of elephants against poachers in Kenya in the ’80s.
Skyfall and Unbroken cinematographer Roger Deakins will also reunite with Jolie to work on Africa.
Talking about the project late last year, the actress and director had this to say about her excitement to work on the movie. “I’ve felt a deep connection to Africa and its culture for much of my life, 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.”
Unbroken received something of a mixed response from critics, but did well at the box office and was well-received by the majority of regular moviegoers. With Africa, Jolie continues her transition from actress to director, and it should be very interesting to see how this one turns out, especially with Pitt now involved!
