O'Connell Nabs Lead In Jolie's "Unbroken"

"Skins" and "Eden Lake" star Jack O'Connell has won the lead in the biopic drama "Unbroken" says Variety and Deadline.

Both Alexander Dreymon ("Blood Ransom") and Dane DeHaan ("Chronicle") were in the running for the part as well

Based on author Laura Hillenbrand's 2010 bestselling biography, that chronicles the life of Olympic athlete Louis Zamperini . He was captured by the Japanese navy and detained at a P.O.W. camp. That came AFTER he survived both a near-fatal plane crash and being stuck on a raft for 47 days.

"Les Miserables" writer William Nicholson penned a script draft for the pic. Richard Lagravenese worked on the script before that, but with Angelina Jolie now in the big chair a new draft was needed and she managed to convince the Joel and Joel Coen to do it.

Jolie came onboard as director last December, replacing the previously linked Francis Lawrence.   This film  marks Jolie's second effort as director following "In The Land Of Blood And Honey".

Matthew Baer ("The Replacement Killers") and Erwin Stoff ("The Blind Side") are producing with Jolie.

Production hopes to begin in the early fall to make its Christmas Day 2014 release date.