Angelina Jolie Might Return To Action Movies

The highly anticipated new book, Shoot Like a Girl by Mary Jennings Hegar, hasn’t even hit bookstands yet, and already it’s being turned into a movie. As a result, there is a lot of talk around who will play Hegar, the Air National Guard major who served in Afghanistan only to fight an entirely new battle at home when she tried to tried to change the rules about female armed service members serving in combat roles. According to Variety, the latest news is that Angelina Jolie is in talks to the play Hegar — and, personally, I’m really hoping that those talks come to some sort of fruition. Not only would she rock it, but also, the role in Shoot Like a Girl would finally see Jolie returning to her action movie roots.

Well, a return with a twist. Because, as Jolie has matured in her activism — she’s currently a UN Special Envoy and human rights activist — so have her movie roles. Long gone are the days of Lara Croft. Nowadays, Jolie spends her time acting in projects that focus more on story than anything else. But, Shoot Like a Girl could be a perfect balance for the actress. With a story that’s all about social justice, political influence, and empowering women, this action movie is going to be a lot more than just special effects and Jolie getting herself out of precarious situations.

This really is the perfect kind of project for an actress like Jolie. It’s a throwback to her action movie days — the ones like, Mr. and Mrs. Smith that worked to put her on the map — while maintaining her more recent standards for storytelling. In addition to fighting an incredible battle at home to get women the recognition and positioning that they deserved within the armed forces, Hegar also fought and saved hundreds of soldiers on the battlefield as a helicopter pilot.

Plus, it’s been years since Jolie was in an actual action movie. While she’s been seeing box office success with hits like Malificent and By the Sea, it’s been six years since she’s starred in a movie with a hint of action to it. In 2010 she starred in Salt and The Tourist, but it’s been all quiet on the western front when it comes to Jolie’s career and action movies.

So, cross your fingers that these talks turn into paper signing, because I want to see Jolie return to her action movie roots in a major way.