We're honored to share details on behalf of the Unbroken First Look image, featuring Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie alongside Louis Zamperini, that debuted earlier today. The high-res image can be seen here, followed by more information on this upcoming drama.
Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie directs and produces Unbroken, the epic drama of the life of Louis Zamperini, adapted from Laura Hillenbrand's enormously popular book.
The project has a long history at Universal Pictures, which first acquired the rights to tell Louis Zamperini's life story in 1957, planned as a starring vehicle for Tony Curtis as his follow-up to Spartacus.
Angelina Jolie and Louis Zamperini, neighbors in the Hollywood Hills, have become close friends over the development of the film, as the filmmaker has listened to the war hero recount the incredible incidents of his life over many months of preparation.
Louis Zamperini gave Angelina Jolie a golden running shoe pendant, a prize from one of his earliest races, which she will wear every day as she helms the film in Australia over the coming months.
Jack O'Connell earned the starring role and will appear as Louis Zamperini. Jack O'Connell recently spent several afternoons meeting with Louis Zamperini at his home to hear the man he'll be portraying recount his incredible tale firsthand. Louis Zamperini retains many keepsakes from his adventures in his home. Seeing Louis Zamperini's World War II bomber jacket, Jack O'Connell asked permission to put it on, which Louis Zamperini gladly gave. The jacket fit Jack O'Connell perfectly and became one of the first moments of him inhabiting the life of this legendary hero.
Unbroken arrives in theaters on Christmas Day, 2014.
The film is based on "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption" by Laura Hillenbrand, who also wrote "Seabiscuit: An American Legend." Universal optioned the rights to the book in December 2010.
Since being published in 2010, Unbroken has spent more than 145 weeks on The New York Times best-seller list, 14 of those in the top position, and has sold almost 3.5 million copies worldwide. A young-adult version of the book will be published by Random House this coming spring.
Unbroken was named Best Nonfiction Book of the Year by Time magazine and won the Los Angeles Times Book of the Year Award for Nonfiction.
QUOTES:
"It will be hard to make a film worthy of this great man. I am deeply honored to have the chance and will do all I can to bring Louis Zamperini's inspiring story to life. Everyone involved in the film shares this deep responsibility. Like all readers of Laura Hillenbrand's book and all people who love and admire Louie, I am a fan who has learned so much. He has made me a better person."
"Angelina Jolie is a human dynamo, and I know she will tell this story in the right way. I've received so many letters and talked to so many people who say that Laura Hillenbrand's book has helped them when they were going through hard times. I believe the movie will reach even more people with that message."