Source: Variety

Lionsgate has picked up worldwide distribution rights to Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged from Howard and Karen Baldwin ("Ray"), who will produce with John Aglialoro, reports Variety.

Angelina Jolie, a longtime devotee of Rand's, and Brad Pitt, also a fan, are rumored to be circling the leading roles of Dagny Taggart and John Galt.

Atlas Shrugged, which runs more than 1,100 pages, has faced a lengthy and circuitous journey to a film adaptation.

The Russian-born author's seminal novel, published in 1957, revolves around the economic collapse of the U.S. sometime in the future and espouses her individualistic philosophy of objectivism. The violent, apocalyptic ending has always posed a challenge but could prove especially so in the post-9/11 climate.