Jolie, not Cruise, to star in 'Salt'

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie reportedly is in talks to star in "Edwin A. Salt," an espionage thriller once meant to be a vehicle for actor Tom Cruise.

Variety.com said Kurt Wimmer is reshaping the film's screenplay a bit to accommodate the expected male-to-female casting change, while Philip Noyce is still attached to direct the movie.

Jolie reportedly would play a CIA agent forced to go on the run and elude capture long enough to prove her innocence after a defector accuses her of being a Russian sleeper.

Cruise had long considered doing the project, but decided against it recently, the entertainment industry trade newspaper said.

Given the anticipated change in casting, the film is also expected to get a new title.

Jolie has previously starred in the action movies "Wanted," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" and "Gone in 60 Seconds." She won an Oscar for her portrayal of a troubled young woman in the 1999 film, "Girl, Interrupted."