Angelina Jolie Latest News: Actress To Direct Ivory Poaching Movie 'Africa'; Story Based On Life of Anti-Poaching Activist Richard Leakey

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Even while filming her latest team-up with husband Brad Pitt, an intimate drama called By The Sea, which she also directs, Angelina Jolie has signed on for another directing project. Working on an ivory poaching movie is what we found out in Angelina Jolie latest news.

The movie will revolve around Richard Leakey, and his struggles against ivory poachers in Africa. Leakey is the former head of the Kenya Wildlife services, and is a well known anti-poaching activist, as well as a paleoanthropologist, and a former politician. Currently, Leakey heads the Turkana Basin Institute at Stony Brook.

Leakey's story is compelling and provocative, which is why it comes as no surprise that the Angelina Jolie latest news involves the actress' serious interest in the film project. Leakey is known to have taken quite stern measures against elephant poachers, including having helicopter gunships to guard the national park. These strategies have saved the elephant and rhino population from becoming extinct in Africa. The man made headlines as well in 1989 when he spearheaded the burning of 12 tonnes of ivory in Nairobi National Park.

Jolie released a statement about her commitment to this new film project saying, "I've felt a deep connection to Africa and its culture for much of my life."

This new Angelina Jolie movie will be called "Africa," and it will be about " a man drawn into the violent conflict with elephant poachers who emerged with a deeper understanding of man's footprint and a profound sense of responsibility for the world around him."

The movie's screenplay will be written by Eric Roth, an Academy Award winning screenwriter best known for his work in Forrest Gump, and it is being produced by David Ellison of Skydance (True Grit, Jack Reacher).

Aside from this latest project, and By The Sea, Angelina Jolie's latest film directing endeavor is the story of Olympian and war vet Louis Zamperini, called Unbroken. The movie will be out in Christmas this year.

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