Brad Pitt wants to shoot movie in New Orleans

Brad Pitt (L) speaks as neighborhood activist Pam Dashiell and architect Thom Mayne (R)look on during a press briefing about the 'Sustainable Design Competition for New Orleans' in New Orleans July 14, 2006. (Lee Celano/Reuters)

Actor Brad Pitt is in town trying to bring a major movie production to New Orleans.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button? has a budget of $150 million, more than twice the cost of production for the Denzel Washington movie D Vu shot earlier this year in town.

Producer Michael Arata said the Pitt movie would break all of Paramount's production records.

"This is the largest movie ever filmed in the state of Louisiana and the largest movie that Paramount Studios, which has been around forever, has ever tried. So, it?s an enormous, enormous economic boon," said Arata.

Arata said dozens of New Orleanians are already employed on pre-production work for the film.

Actual production should begin in November and last through April 2007.