VENICE, Italy (AP) — George Clooney and Brad Pitt are making their way back to the Venice Film Festival this Sunday to unveil the world premiere of their new movie, “Wolfs.” Directed by Jon Watts, this thrilling crime story features both stars as fixers who work alone but find themselves mistakenly chosen for the same job to cover up a crime.
The film, which isn’t competing in any categories at the festival, will be shown to audiences at the Lido on Sunday evening. “Wolfs” will have a limited release in theaters starting September 20, before becoming available for streaming on Apple TV+ on September 27.
Although Clooney and Pitt often attend the picturesque festival separately—Clooney has premiered films like “Gravity” and “Good Night and Good Luck,” while Pitt showcased “Ad Astra” and “The Assassination of Jesse James…”—they have only walked the red carpet together once. That occasion was in 2008 for the premiere of “Burn After Reading,” a quirky comedy by the Coen brothers in which they share a particularly memorable scene.
“Wolfs” was acquired by Apple TV+ following a competitive bidding process that outpaced both traditional movie studios and other streaming platforms. According to Deadline, back in 2021, it was understood that the film would receive an extensive theatrical run, which the stars might have even accepted lower pay for, according to reports. However, just a few weeks ago, the streaming service shared new plans, indicating that the theatrical release would be limited and that streaming would happen quickly thereafter.
Watts, who previously directed the popular Tom Holland Spider-Man films, expressed in a statement that this project represents his desire to return to simpler filmmaking after “seven years of swinging from skyscrapers and jumping through multiverse portals.”
“I’m a fan of movies featuring solitary professionals committed to their work, and I’ve always wondered what would happen if two such individuals had to collaborate,” Watts shared. “I aimed to combine many of my favorite elements into one film: New York City as the backdrop, all set in one night, intricate crime plots, the wit of David Mamet, the slapstick of Buster Keaton, snowy settings, and most importantly, the sheer joy of watching two brilliant movie stars share the screen.”
Brad Pitt arrives at the festival just a few days after his ex, Angelina Jolie, who received acclaim for her role as famed opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s film “Maria” and soon left Italy for another festival. Pitt and Jolie were a couple for ten years and married in 2014. However, Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, and while a judge declared them single in 2019, the divorce isn’t fully settled, as issues regarding custody and finances are still unresolved. Notably, a few weeks ago, a Los Angeles court approved a request from their third-eldest child to change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie.
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To read more about the 2024 Venice Film Festival, visit https://apnews.com/hub/venice-film-festival.
