Brad Pitt Takes On Jesse James

Warner Bros. Pictures has provided The Hollywood Bureau with your first look at actor Brad Pitt in the upcoming western "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." Pitt will play the notorious cowboy gangster, Jesse James, his first starring role developed by his Plan B Films.The movie tells the story of how Robert Ford joined Jesse James' gang, then conspires to kill James, the fastest gun in the West.

The book was optioned last year as a co-production between Scott Free partners Ridley and Tony Scott, and Plan B, the Warner Bros. based production company that was run by Pitt, Brad Grey and Jennifer Aniston. The future of Plan B has been the subject of continuing speculation since, in the span of about a week, Grey exited to take the top job at Paramount Pictures, and Pitt and Aniston separated as a married couple.The feature will be directed by Andrew Dominik, the Australian commercial and music video director who helmed Eric Bana's breakthrough performance in "Chopper."

Award-winning actress Mary Louise Parker has been cast as Zee James, the outlaw's wife, with Casey Affleck playing Robert Ford, the man responsible for pulling the trigger. Sam Shepard has also just signed on to play Jesse James’ brother, Frank. Filming began last Monday in Calgary.