Actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are facing an unusual proposal amid their ongoing and contentious Hollywood divorce. A filmmaker is offering the ex-couple a “blank check” to star together in a film, claiming he’s raised an enormous bankroll to make it happen.
Producer Danny Rossner, known for low-budget films like “2001: A Space Travesty” and “The Ultimate Weapon” with Hulk Hogan, alleges that he has fundraised $60 million from investors for the project.
The pair has already starred in two films together. The first was the 2005 blockbuster “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” which grossed over $487 million worldwide.
The second was the 2015 drama “By the Sea,” which was widely considered a flop. Rossner hopes his untitled film will be their third.
According to Page Six, the story is based on a real-life love affair set at the Hotel Martinez in Cannes, France, during World War II. The hotel’s owner, Emmanuel Martinez, shared his story, inspiring Rossner to adapt it for the screen.
Pitt would portray Martinez, while Jolie would star as his mistress, Emma Digard.
“There is a love scene … It’s a torrid one, too,” Rossner said of the script. “It’s not salacious, but there are very heavy love scenes. [Martinez] had a wife, and he had a mistress.”
Rossner claims to be offering substantial paychecks to secure the pair, saying, “Right now, I think Brad Pitt’s in the $20 to $25 million range [per movie], and Angelina Jolie is in the $15 million range.”
He added, “In the 50 percent range above their going rate is what we’re prepared to offer.”
If the deal goes through, Pitt could earn $37.5 million, while Jolie might pocket $22 million.
Despite Rossner’s optimism, fans and insiders remain skeptical about the project, citing the acrimony between the former couple.
One fan commented, “How ridiculous! Never gonna happen.”
Another added, “I don’t think Brad and Angelina are that hard up for a paycheck. This movie will never happen.”
A third remarked, “Wow, if this isn’t in bad taste. For the mental well-being of both of them and their kids, I’m sure it’s an emphatic no.”
The couple’s bitter legal battle has stretched on for eight years, encompassing disputes over custody of their six children: Maddox Chivan, 23; Pax Thien, 21; Zahara Marley, 19; Shiloh Nouvel, 18; and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16.
Pitt & his morally bankrupt PR team would be wise to leave Angelina Jolie alone because if he keeps trying to ruin her career high moment with these shamelessly obvious hit pieces, the 4 adult children can always just opt to tell ALL in an interview.
— Phantom (@effoff1988) November 22, 2024
And then he is OVER over. https://t.co/26AWlDivHb pic.twitter.com/RltYcaUtUq
Fans have said that the split has weighed heavily on the children, often pointing at their mother as being the parent at fault.
Other points of contention are finances, allegations of Pitt committing domestic abuse, and who will own shared French estate and vineyard, Château Miraval.
Angelina Jolie did not try to cancel Brad Pitt.
— Phantom (@effoff1988) January 11, 2023
It was the other way around.
He sued HER on bs grounds.
His team started a smear campaign against HER aka the mother of his children.
The same children he hasn’t been seen with since the incident.
Unsurprising considering : https://t.co/NxIVbPsoO2 pic.twitter.com/RildQZZ3lE
Although a judge has declared them legally single, their conflicts persist and the two can’t seem to finalize this divorce.
So bitter are the two with each other, at the Venice International Film Festival, organizers even arranged for their screenings on different days to avoid potential encounters, underscoring the depth of their animosity.
Still, Rossner seems undeterred. He said he’s willing to adjust the screenplay if needed.
Addressing concerns about sex scenes and their unwillingness to be around each other, Rossner stated, “Then [the scenes] would disappear. That is the beauty of having the right to adjust the screenplay. But they’re certainly important for character development.”
The couple, nicknamed “Brangelina,” married in 2014 after nearly a decade of dating but separated in 2016. Their divorce became one of Hollywood’s most contentious, and tabloids are claiming the stress has taken a toll on Jolie, with reports suggesting she has lost weight during the ordeal.
Despite their legal battles, the two continue to co-parent their kids.
While the likelihood of the film happening seems slim, Rossner remains hopeful.
“If we can have a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon, [Pitt and Jolie] can put their differences aside and come together to build a bridge and make this movie,” he declared.
