I never would have believed it if I didn’t read it in Variety, but Angelina Jolie is poised to take over a role that was originally intended for Tom Cruise. It’s a spy film now tentatively called Salt which was written for a male lead with the title Edwin A Salt. When talks fell through between Cruise and the studio, there were several other male actors hoping to take over the role, but Angelina expressed interest and poof, it’s being rewritten for a female protagonist. Angelina’s part is not a done deal yet, but talks are underway. Jolie is considered a big asset to an action film after the box office success of Wanted:
“Edwin A. Salt” is about to undergo a gender change.
Once expected to star Tom Cruise, the Columbia Pictures espionage thriller will be redrafted by screenwriter Kurt Wimmer as a star vehicle for Angelina Jolie. Philip Noyce remains attached as director and Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Sunil Perkash are producing.
Jolie is close to a deal to play the title character, a CIA officer who’s accused by a defector of being a Russian sleeper spy and must elude capture long enough to establish her innocence.
Cruise had long flirted with the project, but that ended recently. The well-regarded script had several male movie stars circling.
Jolie took a liking to it, prompting the studio’s decision to rewrite it. Sources said the project won’t require that much of an overhaul to suit her.
After Universal beefed up Jolie’s role in “Wanted” and then marketed the action film squarely on Jolie’s shoulders and watched it gross $132 million domestically, Jolie reestablished, in the wake of “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” that she is the rare female who is viable in the action genre, which has been almost the exclusive domain of men.
[From Variety via Huffington Post]
Variety says that the film will be a kind of comeback venue for Angelina after the birth of her twins, but she also has The Changeling out in October and could start working on an adaptation of Atlas Shrugged soon. I am not an Ayn Rand fan and got through about half of that book before putting it down annoyed and feeling like my time was wasted. That was 15 years ago, but I still hold a grudge and hope it never gets made into a movie. From what I understand of the philosophy Rand rants about in that book, it makes sense that Hollywood stars would love her since it’s offers a kind of harsh justification for being filthy rich. I’m not well enough informed about it to argue whatever point I have, I’m just not looking forward to that movie.
Returning to Salt, I guess Angelina may as well cash in on her action heroine status while she can. She has less of a shelf life as a female actress and the quickest way to get even richer is to star in a blockbuster. Rand would say she earned that multi-million dollar paycheck, right?
Photo Credit: ANG/Fame Pictures
I think that is good, it will be cool to have more movies like this with female leads, rather then them being just a supportive cast.
First I think she needs to step back and look after all the the kids she is collecting. All those movies for a mother of 6 little children five of whom are below five is ridiculous.
Wanted has made $132mil this summer, making it the weakest action movie this summer. Angelina may be cheaper but Cruise would have brought in double that much even with his image at the moment. Wanted has also been weak internationally and overall may end at about $200 million. Cruise would have brought in about $400 million.
I am not sure about this story as Variety are firmly in Angelina Jolie’s camp and may want to bolster her chances for the role like the media does to manipulate studios. This may be a way of tasting the waters and seeing how the news is recieved.
I also doubt changeling will do well at the box office as that genre of her movies has not been known to do well.
I am all for female leads especially now when Hollywood is dominated by men but lets face it, she needs to step back and be realistic. She is seriously burning the candle both ends.
Jolie or Cruise it sounds like a bloody bore anyway
Sorry, I meant end at about $270 million which is low for a movie that had a 50million opening weekend.
Yep, agree with Xiaoecho. Why would she even want to do crappy action hero stuff like this? I do like her but think some of her recent film choices are poor. Still reeling from a comment elsewhere that Mr & Mrs Smith was an enjoyable, fun movie?! I’d rate it as her and Pitt’s lowest screen point. She’s capable of much better than this.
Clare, I don’t disagree with everything you’re saying, but I really don’t think putting Tom Cruise (or another big male star) in Angelina’s role would have brought that film any more success. Because the star of Wanted is actually James McAvoy, the up-and-coming Scottish actor. Angelina’s part is significant, but it’s still more of a supporting role. So maybe we should blame McAvoy for the film’s relatively poor showing. He’s a fabulous actor, but he isn’t a mega-star yet (which is, of course, exactly why he “worked” in Wanted), and definitely isn’t the household name that Cruise, Damon or some of the other typical male action heroes are.
As for whether Angelina should stay home and take care of babies instead of go out to work… Well, I’m torn. On the one hand, our “fore-mothers” fought hard so women could work outside the home even after marriage, and basically “have it all” (kids and a career). So if Angelina wants to have children AND work on three films a year, why shouldn’t she? She can afford the best child care, and can even take her kids to work with her (unlike most American women). On the other hand, I admit, I find it a bit strange that someone who doesn’t need the money would rather work than stay home and enjoy the baby years. But to each his/her own, I guess. There are plenty of male celebs who have children and still make three or four films a year, and I don’t often hear a lot of criticism about them.
Clare~ Tom’s recent movies have bombed terribly. I sincerly doubt that he would have brought in double what AJ did.
Anyway, I agree with Geromimo, why would she bother with a flick like this? Its sounds like a bad Bond flick
Clare to start with, the studio expected the movie to have a $30m opening weekend, it did $51m. They expected it to make $100m domestically and so far it has grossed $132m for a movie that cost $75m to make and was promoted on the backs of Jolie as the Variety and Hollywood Reporter articles point out.
Those other summer blockbuster you are talking about cost upwards of $150m to produce that is double what it cost to make wanted.
Your bitterness is so profound, you morons give your self away when you refer to creating a family as collecting children. Angelina shot her last movie back in December and is not expected to get back to work at least till February next year, that is 14months break that she has spent with her family, that is what most parents get to spend with their children.
Why should a woman not have it all? Why are the expectations always different for Jolie than every other woman out there. Nicole Kidman is already back to work after a month of giving birth and yet most of you people save your hardons for The Jolie.
CB- You need to give Atlas Shrugged another go. You just need to ignore her philosophy and how hard she tried to push it down your throat, but the characters she created in that book are some of the richest that I have seen in any literature and Dagny Taggart has Angelina written all over it. I hope she does the movie just piss off her detractors because just as in the book, Dagny did her own thing and most of the weak women who could not relate to her independence and charting her own course were busy making fun of her. I do not care for Rands politics and a good half of the book does not need to be in a movie.
Cruise is done for, he’s a lost cause.
How long are they actually ‘working’ when they are on location? It’s different than a 9 to 5 job.
When I was in my 20’s I worked 15 hour days, and I had 3 kids at that time, does that make me a bad mother? Because I have 5 children, does that make me a ‘collector’?
She is lucky to have luxury of making alot of $$ without taking too much time away from her kids. Good for Angie.
I always re-read before I hit submit comment. If some of her critics who leave the same old trite, nasty, hateful comments would do the same you would see how silly and jealous you come across to the other people on AJ threads.
Team All About Eve – she said a lot of what I was going to say. A few more points:
Doesn’t the plot of “Salt” sound a lot like that Hitchcock film “Torn Curtain” with Paul Newman & Julie Andrews?
“When talks fell thru with Cruise” = “when the producers realized he’s batsh*t crazy
Atlas Shrugged is good! But for Ayn Rand beginners, you should try The Fountainhead first.
For shame, Geronimo. Mr. & Mrs. Smith is like the Citizen Kane of action films with sketchy, nonsensical plots. And frankly, if I’m going to watch a silly action film, I’d rather see Angie in it.
I don’t see why I am classified as a Moron for saying what I think. Every one holds their views and I respect them. Why then should I be called a moron?
I am not against a mother going back to work. I am just saying that she does not need money badly, she can stay home with her brood. They are young kids with emotional issues. Some are adopted and twins need a lot of care. You can’t adopt children or give birth to them to push them onto servants or minders. That causes them further issues.
And this movie is not worth it. Like many have pointed out, it is an old tired story line that should be given a rest.
Honestly, I walked out of Mr and Mrs Smith. I thought it was such a poor script, I don’t blame the actors, the movie was to cliched and I found myself cringing at most of the plot.
she could do whatever she wants, i would see another spy thriller from here. none of us are in a place to tell her how to raise her kids. doesn’t it look like she’s doing a good job anyways? her kids are doing a lot better than other kids.
I’d like to see her in another role like Girl Interrupted.
Clare you are a moron when you say she is collecting children. How do you know her children have emotional issues? Are you also an insider? Why can’t a woman be a mother and also work? She has a partner who stays with the kids when she works, her children are always at the movie set when she works, she spends more time with her children than the likes of you.
Having money does not mean you should stay home, if that were the case all the millonaires out there with kids should stay home.
What is really killing Jolie’s detractors like you is that she is in demand, that was not supposed to happen. Her career was supposed to be over after she hooked up with Brad Pitt, she was supposed to be scorned by hollywood and her peers but the opposite has happened, she is hotter and more in demand now than ever and she has also managed to do all that without sacrificing having a family, she really does have it all.
As for her doing another thriller, those of you that have problems with it should not see it when it comes. She has three movies out this year, Kung fu panda-an animation, Wanted- action and The Changeling- drama, so how exactly is she being type cast. Atlas Shrugged is a period piece and the Edwin movie is a spy thriller which she has not done before, so what exactly are some of you complaining about. I saw Mr and Mrs Smith three times at the theater and I have two versions of the dvd, and in the words of Hillary Clinton, if you don’t like her choice of movies, heck don’t watch it.
Those kids will be fine! I love Angie-Jo, and I know she loves her kids! Besides, she’s giving them a better life than they would probably have otherwise had. No, she doesn’t need the money, but SOMEONE does, and you KNOW she will surely be donating that money, or at least portions of it. Good for her!
Recently i’ve really come to love Angelina in any movie she does. Action, drama, whatever. If they want to do more action movies with her, i’m all for it.
Clare, Clare, Clare….don’t be glib.
Tina, you are a moron.
You are sick and twisted and cannot bear to hear any one saying anything that is glwoing about Angelina or Brad. She is not a saint and has never been one.
Notice that she approached the studio for the role and not the other way round. She has had only one movie doing decently since she got with Brad, a mighty heart flopped mainly because people don’t like her, even though you can say the storyline is not one to draw crowds.
I don’t care who she sleeps with but you delude yourself when you think Hollywood still likes her, if they have ever liked her. She was not even nominated for an oscar when she was all the buzz for A mighty heart. Most awards snubbed her come to think of it, even Ellen Paige beat her to an award for her role in Juno. Has she ever been on Oprah ever since? Has Brad Pitt had a hit movie since Mr and Mrs Smith? Who are their friends in hollywood? Who in hollywood went to see them after they had their babies? Who sent them presents or even flowers? Who are her friends? NO ONE, I tell you.
But that is no concern of mine. I am just pointing out that hollywood is not in love with these two as you like to convince yourself.
Stop deluding yourself and calling us names for not agreeing with you. Grow up! This is a blog and every one is entitled to their opinion. You don’t like it, too bad.
Javagirl1…..I’d like to see her in Adopter Interrupted
Dear Orson,
Please forgive Kaiser, she knows not what she says.
Sincerely,
Geronimo
8)
@Clare-you seem to forget that she already has an oscar, for her role in Girl, Interrupted.
Claire; to your point about why would a woman who COULD stay home with her kids, choose to work, I would say that there is a difference between a job and a career/vocation.
If you only have a job that, OK it’s an all right job but mainly it’s a paycheck, then, yes, you’d probably grab the chance to stay home if you could.
On the other hand, if you have a career or vocation that you LOVE, that really fulfills you and gives you great satisfaction, then you probably wouldn’t want to give it up.
Jolie and Pitt are in enviable positions, because they can trade off working times, so as to leave at least one parent at home full time all the time.
CB–Atlas Shrugged is a a challenging book. The philosophy is interesting; it is more about personal responsibility and not exploiting the rich because they are rich. (it helps to remember that Rand was born and raised in the Soviet Union, and her antipathy to Communism is the core of everything she believes). I find her overall philosophy flawed and two-dimensional, but not worthy of being dismissed entirely.
However, no matter what you think of the philisophical aspect, the book itself is very well written–I have read it many times and find it riviting (just the story itself).
Bodhi, you always take the words right out of my mouth! 😀
I think it’s cool that she wants/can-act-in a male role, and good for angelina that she’s powerful enough to get them to rewrite it. People bitch when women get typecast, pay-cuts, told to slim down ect. Then people bitch when this happens. I guess you can’t please everyone…I think I see a band-wagon coming around that I’m about ready to finally jump on…The all powerful angelina express- toot-toot!! 😆
I want to see her in another girl interrupted-type too!!
Clare- To answer your questions…The Jolie-Pitts were named on Time’s 100 most influential people of the year (so yes, Hollywood still accepts/loves them), Not to mention a slew of other People Mag types have named them most beautiful and included them on their covers because they make money, their babies were worth a record 14M because people are obsessed with them, Pitt has had success with Babel and Ocean’s 13 since he hooked up with Jolie (his other films have been more indie-artsy types that are opened in limited release since they don’t have broad appeal, George Clooney and Wyclef Jean are among those sending them baby gifts, Jolie hasn’t sat down on Oprah because Oprah and Jenny Aniston are dear old friends but Jolie has been featured in some Oprah segments about charity and her movies since the “scandal” over Pitt, and Jolie has had either success or amazing praise from critics in the following movies that came out after Mr. & Mrs. Smith: The Good Shepheard, A Mighty Heart, Beowulf, Kung-Fu Panda, and Wanted.
okay I’m done.
Am I the only person who thinks that “A Mighty Heart” was unlikely to have been a monster hit in the cinemas, no matter who played the lead?
It’s a true-life story about a journalist who was assasinated because of his nationality in a region where American and UK troops in particular are facing the same threats daily?
Generally these types of films only perform modestly at the box office. I know this is changing somewhat through the success of films like Brokeback Mountain and Monsters Ball, but they were fiction and didn’t hit a personal message home to real families.
And thanks Clare for letting us know the contents of the Jolie-Pitt’s postbox. All right lads – we have to have a whiparound for a bunch of daisies and a cheapo card 😉
And could I say, I’m loving your sarky little one-liners Xiaoecho- they give me a giggle everytime 😆
Angelina’s lips went from attractive to over inflated and nasty. Those are some of the nastiest lips i have ever seen on a white woman, natural or unnatural . Moving on, Angelina doesn’t make the masses want to go and see her movies like earlier on in her career (could be due to over exposer) and i also think she is being type cast. A majority of angelina’s roles are the lethal female, with sex appeal and people are getting bored. Label me jealous, hater, troll, or whatever it doesn’t bother me; i am stating my opinion and if people don’t like it, it doesn’t matter.
Spot on Mairead. I see a trend also.
This woman has Problems……she needs to devote herself to the six kids under the age of seven at home….nannies do not suffice. Until then, I call her bullsh*t. It’s b.s. and the people who are going to pay are going to be those kids…..and it’s a shame.
Believe me, i am not afraid to post my opinion, i just do so when i have time. Unlike some posters, i go to school, have a part time job and don’t suffer from celebrity whorship syndrome. I don’t make it my mission in life to sit at a computer all day and defend angelina’s honor. Right now i have a break that is why i decided to post, anyways i don’t have to defend myself to anyone.
Thanx Mairead…….feeling particularly sarky today 😉
Am I the only person who thinks that “A Mighty Heart” was unlikely to have been a monster hit in the cinemas, no matter who played the lead?
No Mairead, you aren’t. But little details like that don’t matter to some…
Ditto, Bodhi. Always makes me laugh when people present box office stats as ‘proof’ of success or quality.
VA78, “anyways i don’t have to defend myself to anyone.”
Really? Because that’s what it sounds like when you have to explain why you’re posting…
^^^^ 😆 ^^^^ 😆 ^^^^ 😆 ^^^^ 😆
Mollination & JavaGirl – Then you’ll love “The Changeling”! Seriously, I think it’s another one of those “Girl, Interrupted” types where Angie plays “crazy” 🙂 🙂 🙂 !!!
Mairead, you’re right about “A Mighty Heart”. That was a difficult one for most people to watch, including me. I think it’s simply because everyone knew how it the story would end. I liked it because it was more a police procedural than ZOMG TERRORISTS. Respectful, not exploitative.
@Geronimo – I stand by my afforementioned position that Mr. & Mrs. Smith is Citizen Kane of cheesy action films. 🙂
Im kind of sick of seeing these hot skinny chicks being lead roles in action movies beating the crap out of guys with their petite little arms that you cant even tell if they have any muscle on them at all. Especially Angelina Jolie she is a great actress but come on the whole chicks can be tougher than guys thing can only go so far and Im sure women would rather see a Strong male play an action star anyways.
No, we wouldn’t, Mr. Tangoer. We like strong, ass-kicking women. And we’re coming for you next.
Kaiser 😀 😀 😀
Oh god, do they know in Hollywood that there are other actresses just as able as Mrs Jolie to kick some ass in an action movie? Doesn’t seem to be the case unfortunately…
I’m probably going to be yelled at for this, but I’m kinda over her. She’s the go-to girl now for action films with women. It’s boring. It’s all Lara Croft.
Also, I don’t think she’s that great of an actress. Sure, she has an Oscar for Girl Interrupted, but I honestly liked everyone else in the movie better. I thought Brittany Murphy’s character was so so interesting. I feel like the only reason Angelina Jolie did what was considered a great job in that movie was because she wasn’t really acting that far from how she really is…or was at that point in time of her life. When she was younger she seemed quite the crazy to me…and self obsessed. Not a clinical sociopath, but it wasn’t a reach.
And OMG, if that chatter about people wanting her to be Catwoman in the Batman series is true…ugh. I need that vomit emoticon that doesn’t exist again.
I loved Mr & Mrs. Smith. Personally, I’d rather not sit through another Tom Cruise movie. Everytime I look at him, all I can think what a smart ass, know it all person he is. YULK ! Tommy has a real PR PROBLEM!!
i love Angie’s movie besides she gives 1/3 of her her movie income to charity so in my small way watching her movies = money to charity. So yes i hope she make more movies in the future. Go Angie.
Eventually Angie will find another fab role & win yet another oscar. She soooo has it in her.
Wow. Just goes to show what a divisive figure this woman is. I think “Hello” said it best re: “Girl, Interrupted.” I thought AJ overacted in that one, and it seemed to have been drawn from life. In response to the person who asked if anyone in Hollywood likes the Jolie-Pitts: well, Clooney and Matt Damon seem to. But who knows: they’re all actors of course. All I can say is it’s beyond overkill. It’s too much.
@ granger, indeed your right about mcavoy being the center of the film-but it was reported that when they polled the audience over 60% had gone to see angelina despite her not being the main character. probably why now some producers are desperate to get her into their films.
Why ANGELINA JOLIE to star in SALt, and not KGB Girl? I believe that Columbia Pictures nicked my project!
In the summer of 2007 I sent my first manuscript with a pitch to all major studios, producers and agents in the UK, USA and Canada. In October 2007 I sent the published copies of the KGB Girl to the same recipients, Columbia Pictures included. All in all there were 500 copies of my book sent. In April of 2008 the second book in the series of KGB Girl was sent to the same people and establishments. There was some interest and talks with a few people in the industry (some are still going on). Both books were sent to Jolie’s agents by the way, although with no response on their part.
Jolie was my first choice actress for the part and I made it known to everybody in the industry.
There were interesting offers of transforming my books to the TV screen, making an ongoing TV series (still considering this option). There is also a proper interest from a few big publishing houses. No surprise here, there are already 3 books in the KGB Girl series with more to come (I have drafts for a further 14 books, to have a total of 17 books in the series). Taking this into consideration explains why I will not surrender it cheaply! (the bidding is on! Not at liberty to discuss the details at the
moment, as advised by my lawyers).
Imagine my surprise when I found out that Columbia Pictures began filming ‘Salt’ with Angelina Jolie, a story of a CIA spy accused of being a double agent, and working for Russians. There are remarkable similarities between KGB Girl and Salt in the character and her skills, abilities, and even the story involving her in the assassination plot. Salt changes disguise and the viewer is never sure for who she actually works for and is left guessing throughout. This is exactly what my KGB Girl is. Although I will not have any solid proof and I probably never will, I do
strongly believe that the character of Salt was nicked from KGB Girl. You see, my whole pitch which was sent along with my books was based on the idea that there is no female spy character in film, sure there were assassins, or tough action chicks, but not a spy. My KGB Girl was supposed to be a niche in the market and fill a void in the movie
industry.
What I found very surprising indeed, was that Salt was originally written for a male character and named ‘Edwin A. Salt’ but when Tom Cruise, to whom the role was offered had pulled out in summer 2008, the writer suddenly decided to rewrite it for a female character – already a year after my KGB Girl was introduced to the industry. Coincidence? I am sure that is exactly what some people will call it. Personally, I do not believe in such coincidences, neither do I believe that anything is fair when it comes to big
corporate players in the film industry and the rather weird business of movie-making; a world I am getting to know more personally now, and a world even the KGB Girl will find somewhat challenging. But I will remain true to myself, and will say what I think, which may not be necessarily politically correct or expected of me. I am the real
deal. I am the KGB Girl. I am Sasha Nerozina and I am challenging Angelina Jolie to consider abandoning the movie project Salt and getting on board with the KGB Girl, which will no doubt give her a fantastic opportunity to play multiple characters combined all in the role of KGB Girl, who on its own is a complicated and fabulously talented woman, but most importantly a real and truly original female spy.