Angelina Jolie Gearing Up to Direct Her Second Feature Film from Seabiscuit Writer Laura Hillenbrand

With Salt 2 still in script stages, Maleficent well on its way, and a bit of voice work in Kung Fu Panda 3 at some indeterminate place on the horizon, it’s no wonder Angelina Jolie is lining up something to keep herself busy. According to The Wrap, the actress/director is in talks to helm the adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand‘s Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption for Universal Pictures.

Unbroken tells the true story of olympic sprinter and American soldier Louis Zamperini, who survived a plane crash, forty-seven days at sea in a life raft, and then two and a half years in Japanese POW camps. I remember Hillenbrand’s work on Seabiscuit fondly, and can only partially chalk it up to being personally susceptible to horse stories. Said Jolie:

“I read Laura Hillenbrand’s brilliant book, and I was so moved by Louie Zamperini’s heroic story, I immediately began to fight for the opportunity to make this film. Louie is a true hero and a man of immense humanity, faith and courage. I am deeply honored to have the chance to tell his inspiring story.”

It’ll be Jolie’s third time directing a film, and second time directing a feature. Her past movies include the documentary A Place in Time, and the better known, 2011 In the Land of Blood and Honey. Between Jolie, Hillenbrand, and the scriptwriter behind Les Misérables taking a pass at the script on Universals’ behest, that’s a pretty awesome pedigree to me.

(via The Wrap.)