Angelina Jolie Teams Up Again with ‘Mr & Mrs Smith’ Director Doug Liman for New Spy Thriller

Angelina Jolie is teaming up again with Doug Liman, the director behind Mr. & Mrs. Smith, for a brand-new spy thriller called The Initiative, according to sources. Universal is finalizing the deal to produce the film, which will star Jolie, be directed by Liman, and feature a script by F. Scott Frazier.

Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum of RK Films will produce the movie. The banner has worked with Jolie before on big Disney projects like the Maleficent films, and recently produced Netflix’s Damsel and Sony’s rom-com Anyone But You.

The Initiative has been described as “Training Day set in the world of spycraft.” Jolie will play Bright, a rogue master spy who doesn’t follow the rules. “Sometimes you need someone bad to bring down people who are even worse,” the story explains. When a new agent named Charlie joins her team, he quickly realizes he isn’t sure if Bright is protecting him or planning to kill him.

The studio hopes to start filming in the first quarter of 2026. Executive VP of production development Jay Polidoro and director of development Tony Ducret will oversee the project for Universal.

Jolie has moved between big fantasy roles, like 2021’s Eternals and the Maleficent movies, and serious dramas, like last year’s Maria, about Maria Callas. Sources say Initiative could bring her back to the high-energy action thriller style that made hits like Salt and The Tourist popular.

Doug Liman had a busy year, releasing Roadhouse, a hit on Amazon MGM, and The Instigators on Apple TV+. He has a long history with Universal, directing The Bourne Identity in 2002 and American Made in 2017. Liman is also attached to other upcoming projects, including the underwater adventure Deeper with Tom Cruise and an untitled space film with Cruise.

F. Scott Frazier has experience in action films, having worked on Collide and XXX: The Return of Xander Cage. Last year, he set up another adventure project, Outdueled, in a bidding war won by Amazon.

News reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

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