Angelina Jolie Set to Direct ‘Unbroken,’ A Film 50 Years in the Making

December 20, 2012

By Nicholas LaRousse

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Angelina Jolie/Photo © VIP Flash/Shutterstock

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Universal Pictures purchased the rights to Louis Zamperini’s incredible life story more than fifty-five years ago. A project in development for even half that amount of time would be considered hopeless but anyone who knows Zamperini’s story knows what it means to be resilient. Deadline is now reporting that actress Angelina Jolie is in negotiations to direct “Unbroken,” the story of Zamperini’s life. This would mark the second film under her direction but the first major studio picture.

Zamperini’s story is an incredible one. He first came into the public eye in Berlin as a young track star in the 1936 Olympics and then as a prisoner of war during World War II. His story is more than just one of war and survival; it’s a story of recovery and forgiveness. The story was given a second life when Laura Hillenbrand published Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption in 2010. The book, which has spent more than two years on the New York Times Bestseller lists, has certainly had a hand in accelerating the development of the film and exciting people about the project.

The script for the film is based on Hillenbrand’s book. William Nicholson has rewritten an earlier draft by Richard LaGravanese. Matthew Baer and Erwin Stoff will produce the film and Mick Garris will executive produce. Jolie described the film as a passion project, one that she fought for the opportunity to be a part of. As director, the success or failure of the film will likely fall on her shoulders. It’s unclear what role, if any, Zamperini will have in the production of the film.

Get a head start on the story by reading an excerpt from the book.

Unbroken; A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

Tags: Angelina Jolie, Laura Hillenbrand, Louis Zamperini, Unbroken