Angelina Jolie is close to a deal to play the title character in "Edwin A. Salt" about a fictional CIA officer who's accused by a defector of belonging to a Russian sleeper cell and must elude capture long enough to establish her innocence.
Tom Cruise had been tapped to star in the film but he demanded $20 million for the role unexpectedly bowed out. Other actors were also looked at but Columbia Pictures execs see no problem with switching the lead of the espionage thriller to be played by Angelina.
The movie will undergo a title change - probably 'Edwina Salt' (clever!) and could work out to be a kick ass movie for Ange. After the huge success of "Wanted" - which grossed $132 million domestically - the mother of six is cited as "the rare female who is viable in the action genre" says Variety.
Sources said the script won't require that much of a re-write to switch the character to a woman. Girl Power!
