Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 11, 2025 · Entertainment

Brangelina's Decade-Long Feud: The Legal Battle Continues

After meeting on the set of Mr & Mrs Smith in 2004, and living together for years, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were married in 2014. The pair are pictured at Cannes Film Festival in 2009

BRAD PITT AND ANGELINA JOLIE'S DECADE-LONG WARS: A LEGACY OF HEARTBREAK, BETRAYAL, AND BLOOD-CURDLING COURTROOM DRAMA

It's been over nine years since Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's marriage imploded in a blaze of fury and tears. The couple's divorce filing in 2016 marked the beginning of an epic battle for custody of their six children, with neither side willing to back down from the fight. And now, as we approach the ten-year mark, it seems that this seemingly endless war is far from over.

The cost of this prolonged and bitter conflict has been staggering – both financially and emotionally. Estimates suggest that Pitt and Jolie have spent a mind-boggling $10 million each on legal fees alone. But despite the mounting costs, neither side shows any signs of relenting. In fact, Pitt's latest move is set to unleash a fresh wave of vitriol and mudslinging in the courtrooms.

Brad Pitt at Chateau Miraval, the winery he owned with Angelina, in 2023

At the heart of this long-simmering feud lies Chateau Miraval, the beloved Provencal vineyard that was once the happy family home of Brad and Angelina. But after Jolie sold her share of the business to Russian oligarch Yuri Shefler's Stoli Group without Pitt's knowledge or consent, tensions between the couple reached a boiling point.

According to sources close to Pitt, this betrayal was nothing short of vindictive – a deliberate attempt by Jolie to hurt and humiliate him. "This was a full 'FU' move from her," claims one insider. "The entire deal is Angie being vindictive."

But why would Jolie resort to such underhanded tactics? Some point to the custody battle over their children as the spark that ignited this latest round of hostilities. After a 2021 court ruling granted Pitt 50/50 custody, Jolie's lawyers appealed – and lost. But in a stunning move, Jolie promptly sold her share of Miraval to Stoli, leaving Pitt reeling.

Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and their six children Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne

For Pitt, this was more than just a business deal gone sour. Chateau Miraval held deep emotional significance for the couple, who had met on the set of Mr & Mrs Smith in 2004 and spent years building their lives together there. The vineyard was not only a profitable business but also a symbol of their love and family.

Yet as we delve deeper into the tangled web of Pitt's complaints against Jolie, it becomes clear that this is more than just a simple case of buyer's remorse. Pitt claims that Jolie knew he opposed the sale to Stoli – a company owned by a Russian oligarch with whom Pitt has had a fraught history.

Sources close to Pitt describe Shefler as "a bully" and "a bottom feeder," someone who regards him as an enemy. And Pitt, it seems, is equally incensed by Jolie's decision to do business with him. In court documents, Pitt's lawyers claim that Jolie has been "waging a vindictive war against" him since she filed for divorce in 2016.

It is understood that Pitt, pictured at the premiere of F1: The Movie last month, does not see any of his older offspring – his three adopted children, Maddox, Pax and Zahara, and his biological daughter Shiloh, 18 – and only has contact with his two youngest biological children, twins Knox and Vivienne, aged 16

But why does Pitt continue to fight this battle so fiercely? For one thing, he hopes to recover the $56 million Jolie made from selling her share of Miraval. But deeper down, it's clear that Pitt is driven by a desire to protect his children and preserve their family legacy.

As we speak, Pitt is set to face off against Jolie in court once again – with a trial date scheduled for 2026. Will he finally get the answers he seeks about Jolie's motives? Or will this prolonged conflict continue to drag on, causing irreparable harm to all parties involved?

One thing is certain: only one person will emerge victorious from this war. And as we watch this drama unfold, it's hard not to wonder – at what cost?

Just 25 months after their nuptials Angelina and Brad, seen at the Oscars in 2014, separated

The Children Caught in the Crossfire

But amidst all the courtroom wrangling and financial sparring, a more painful truth emerges. The children of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have been caught squarely in the middle of this decades-long conflict.

According to sources close to the family, Maddox – once so beloved by his father that he chose to adopt him himself – is now "running wild" on the party scene in Los Angeles and New York. His mother's favorite child, it seems, has little love for his estranged dad.

Pax, 21, took to social media in 2016 to unleash a scathing rant against Pitt, calling him a "terrible person" who had caused his family nothing but harm. "You have no consideration or empathy toward your four youngest children who tremble in fear when in your presence," Pax wrote.

Daughter Zahara, 20, has made her feelings about Pitt clear by dropping the Pitt name from her surname. And Shiloh – once a proud advocate for her dad's vodka business – now goes by her mother's name alone.

Only twins Knox and Vivienne remain loyal to their father – but even they may be starting to lose faith in him, given the long, drawn-out nature of this conflict.

A Legacy of Heartbreak

As we approach the ten-year mark of this bitter war between Pitt and Jolie, one question hangs in the air: what will become of Chateau Miraval? Will it remain a symbol of their love and family – or will it succumb to the toxic atmosphere that now pervades this troubled relationship?

For Pitt, the stakes are personal. He hopes to recover his share of the business and protect his children's legacy. But for Jolie – and her new partner Shefler – this battle is about more than just money or power.

It's a fight for vindication, for proof that they were right all along in their decisions. And as we watch this drama unfold, it's hard not to wonder: at what cost will they finally emerge victorious?

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