The Initiative: Spy thriller set to reunite Mr. and Mrs. Smith's Angelina Jolie & Doug Liman

Angelina Jolie is set to make a comeback as an action star in The Initiative. With this spy thriller, she will reunite with Doug Liman, who directed the 2005 film Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Liman is set to direct this actioner with F. Scott Frazier attached to write the screenplay, according to the latest exclusive report from The Hollywood Reporter.

Although the plot synopsis has not been disclosed, The Initiative is said to be "Training Day set in the world of spies," as per THR. The publication also reveals a few more details about Jolie's character, Bright, who is supposed to be a masterful spy going rogue and crossing professional boundaries for greater goals, much like Denzel Washington's character in the 2001 film.

Jolie's Bright will be joined by a rookie agent who gets pulled into this risky operation, where he grows increasingly uncertain of her motives, whether she wants to work toward the greater good or is only getting him into trouble.

Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum are producing this feature film that is expected to go on floors as early as the early months of 2026. Through their RK Films banner, Jay Polidoro and Tony Ducret are overseeing the project, as per THR. Their collaboration with The Initiative can mark Jolie's return to the action genre.

What else is Angelina Jolie working on other than The Initiative?

Celebrity Sightings In New York City - November 13, 2024 - Source: Getty

Apart from The Initiative, Angelina Jolie has been working on a few more feature film productions, one of which will premiere this year. Titled Couture, the bilingual film will see her playing Maxine Walker, an American filmmaker who travels to Paris for a fashion week. Written and directed by Alice Winocour, it will centre around Maxine on a journey of self-discovery. Louis Garrel, Garance Marillier, and Ella Rumpf will co-star.

Jolie is also expected to co-star with Sex Education and The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood on an adaptation of Fredrik Backman's Anxious People. It will be directed by Marc Forster, who previously adapted Backman's A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks as the lead. Other than that, she is attached to star in Maude v Maude with Halle Berry, set to be directed by Roseanne Liang.

There were also some discussions of her returning in the third Disney live-action adaptation of Maleficent, but it hasn't received an official update from the studio as of yet.

As mentioned before, The Initiative can mark Jolie's return to the action-filled world of spycraft or adventure, which she had worked on through projects such as Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Wanted (2008), Salt (2010), and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), among other films.

What projects are on director Doug Liman's radar?

Apple Original Films' "The Instigators" New York Premiere - Source: Getty

The director behind The Initiative recently directed the Amazon MGM studios reboot of Road House. The hit action thriller reportedly topped the charts upon its streaming release. In 2024, Doug Liman also directed The Instigators, starring Casey Affleck and Matt Damon.

Liman's future projects have been in pre-production development stages, which include an adventure drama, Everest, and an Edge of Tomorrow follow-up film.