‘Tree of Life’ shoots in Smithville, Texas

Residents of Smithville have been told that filming of Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life” will start there in late March. The movie is set to star Sean Penn and possibly Brad Pitt, who would replace Heath Ledger, though no deals have been made, according to Variety.

Few details are known about the production by the notoriously media-shy Malick, an Austin resident. However, several Internet sources say that Malick hatched the idea for the film in the 1970s and that at one point, some of the story was to take place in India and some during the Neanderthal period.

The Texas Film Commission has declined to comment about the production.