Now that Robert Zemeckis has returned to the land of the living (ie. not creepy motion-capture creations), he’s setting up what might be his highest-profile new project yet. Paramount, GK Films, and New Regency are teaming up to produce an untitled “sweeping romantic thriller” that will star Brad Pitt, with Zemeckis directing and Graham King producing. Specific plot details are being kept under wraps, but it’s an original project described as an “epic story” with a script by Locke and The Hundred-Foot Journey scribe Steven Knight. And The Wrap adds that it will be set during World War II, returning Pitt to familiar territory after Fury and Inglourious Basterds.

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Image via Paramount Pictures

Nothing is ever simply straightforward when it comes to Zemeckis, from the groundbreaking effects work in Forrest Gump to the 2-year production schedule of Cast Away, so one can safely assume there will be some sort of interesting hook to this new project. Since putting those motion-capture films behind him, Zemeckis hasn’t exactly returned to form just yet. His first live-action feature since 2000’s Cast Away was 2012’s Flight, which was serviceable enough if unremarkable beyond the plane crash sequence.

The filmmaker is currently in post-production on The Walk, which chronicles Philippe Petit’s 1974 high-wire act between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in thrilling 3D. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars, and the October release date is fast approaching so here’s hoping that one delivers where Flight did not.

As for Pitt, he’s been somewhat slowing down his acting schedule as of late, focusing more on being a hands-on producer on films like 12 Years a Slave and World War Z. He most recently wrapped a co-starring role with Angelina Jolie in Jolie’s latest directorial effort By the Sea, and he’s set to once again act for Jolie in the Unbroken filmmaker’s drama Africa, which will shoot this summer.

No word on when this Zemeckis project will start production, but it seems possible it could go before cameras late this year, depending on whether Zemeckis will find himself busy in the awards race for The Walk. Either way, exciting stuff.

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Image via Sony Pictures