Brad Pitt confirmed for Angelina Jolie's new film

Studio confirms US actor will be directed by his wife in the upcoming film By the Sea.

The last time Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie starred in a film together 2005's Mr. and Mrs. Smith they promptly fell in love and have since got engaged. Nine years later and the pair will appear together on screen again this time, however, Jolie will not only be acting, she will also be directing.

It has been confirmed that Pitt, 50, and Jolie, 39, will star in and co-produce By the Sea, which Jolie also wrote, and which Universal Studios have described as an "intimate, character-driven drama".

The actress and director, who has been working with Universal Studios on her current film, Unbroken, said: "I am very happy to continue my relationship with Donna Langley [co-chairman of Universal Pictures] and the entire Universal team as I finish Unbroken and begin work on By the Sea.

"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."

Langley said: "Angelina continues to showcase her extraordinary storytelling abilities in front of and behind the camera, and we are thrilled to extend our relationship with her on By the Sea.

"Angelina and Brad represent two of Hollywood's brightest talents, and we are excited to be a part of their collaboration on this powerful piece."

Jolie made her directorial debut in 2011 with In the Land of Blood and Honey. The film, which was set against the against the backdrop of the Bosnian War, received mixed reviews but was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2011 Golden Globe Awards.

Jolie suggested recently that her acting career will now come second to other projects. "Acting is going to take more of a backseat. I've had a wonderful career and I'm very happy to have had all the opportunities I've had to tell stories and work for as long as I have.

"I would like to focus more on writing and directing, and above all I would like to do more for the UN and my work with the PSVI (Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative)."

(China Daily 08/09/2014 page24)