Universal acquires Angelina Jolie’s ‘Unbroken’ follow-up ‘By the Sea,’ with Brad Pitt

It had already been announced that Angelina Jolie was prepping her “Unbroken” follow-up and that her beau, superstar Brad Pitt, would be starring. Naturally, every studio in town would have been champing at the bit to land this one, but it seems Jolie's experience with Universal has been pleasant enough that they'll be getting the goods, and not just domestically but worldwide.

The film, called “By the Sea,” was written by Jolie as well, but details on the plot are elusive. The press release only offered that it is a “character-driven drama.” Jolie's directorial debut, “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” was set against the Bosnian War, while “Unbroken” tells the epic true story of Olympian-turned-World War II POW Louis Zamperini. So It will be interesting to see if she continues her interest in real-world considerations.

“I am very happy to continue my relationship with [Universal Chairman] Donna [Langley] and the entire Universal team as I finish 'Unbroken' and begin work on 'By the Sea,'” Jolie said. “They have created a very special place for storytellers, and I look forward to the continued passion and support they have provided to me as a filmmaker.”

Not much meat on that quote's bones, and Langley's blurb didn't add much to the equation, either. So I guess we'll all have to just wait and see what exactly “By the Sea” is, but for now, the promise of a strong female voice behind the camera continuing to have such a command over the industry is pretty satisfying.

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