Jennifer Aniston

Former Friends star Jennifer Aniston has teamed up with Hollywood producer Kristin Hahn to create her own film company.

The actress co-founded movie production firm Plan B Entertainment with her ex-husband Brad Pitt, but decided to part ways with the company after the couple split in 2005.

Now the 39-year-old has formed Echo Films with Hahn, who is best known as an executive producer on Martin Scorsese's The Departed.

The company is already reported to have lined up a variety of projects taken from books and real-life stories, most of which will see Aniston in the lead role.

Confirming the move in a statement, Aniston and Hahn say: "We're drawn to stories about people finding their voice and finding their way because they help us as listeners and viewers do what we feel we're all trying to do, which is making sense of our lives through the stories of others.

"That's why we chose the name Echo--to echo back an idea, a challenge, something that resonates through all of us."