Jolie's SALT Sequel Lands New Writer; Film Back on Pre-Production Track

Columbia Pictures is ready to ink a deal with PRINCE OF TIDES writer Becky Johnston to take on the upcoming sequel to SALT, starring Angelina Jolie, The Hollywood Reporter revealed tonight.

The Jolie spy-thriller was released in 2010, and centered on Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer who is fingered as a Russian sleeper spy. She eludes capture by superiors who are convinced she is out to assassinate the president. While trying to reunite with her family, she struggles to prove someone else is the traitor. SALT also co-starred Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

The film, directed by Phillip Noyce, brought in over $293 million during its theatrical release in the summer of 2010.

With such a strong box office performance, the studio hired Kurt Wimmer to write the sequel. Earlier this year, reports emerged that Jolie had declared the script wasn't up to par, and would not commit to second dash of SALT. Since then, Columbia execs have lead nearly a year-long search for a writer that would satisfy Jolie, as well as producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Sunil Perkash.

Johnston is best known for writing 1991's PRINCE OF TIDES, which starred Barbra Streisand, and 1997's INTO THE TIBET, which featured Jolie's soon-to-be-husband, Brad Pitt. SALT's sequel would mark her first venture into action-thriller territory.