Pitt and Clooney, with new film ‘Wolfs,’ welcomed at Venice Film Festival

VENICE, Italy (AP) — George Clooney and Brad Pitt return to the Venice Film Festival for the world premiere of “Wolfs.” In this crime-thriller directed by Jon Watts, the two Hollywood icons play lone wolf fixers unknowingly hired to cover up the same crime, setting the stage for a captivating narrative.

The film, although not in competition, is set to debut Sunday evening on the Lido. “Wolfs” will enjoy a limited theatrical release starting September 20 and will become available on Apple TV+ on September 27.

While Clooney and Pitt are regulars at the scenic festival, with Clooney attending for premieres like “Gravity” and “Good Night and Good Luck,” and Pitt for films like “Ad Astra” and “The Assassination of Jesse James…,” they have seldom walked the festival’s red carpet together. The last time they did was in 2008 for the premiere of the Coen brothers’ comedy “Burn After Reading.”

Apple TV+ secured “Wolfs” in a competitive bidding war, outbidding traditional studios and rival streaming services. In 2021, Deadline reported that the acquisition’s initial understanding was to have a robust theatrical release, a condition the stars might have prioritized over a higher paycheck. However, Apple revised their plans weeks ago, opting for a limited theater run followed by a swift transition to streaming.

Director Jon Watts, known for his rapid ascent from indie films to the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man series, shared that “Wolfs” represents a return to more grounded storytelling. In a director’s statement, he expressed his desire to focus on solitary professionals dedicated to their craft and explore what happens when such individuals are forced to collaborate.

“I love films about solitary professionals dedicated to their craft and always wanted to see what would happen if two of those guys were forced to work together,” wrote Watts. “I wanted to put as many of my favorite things all in one place. New York. All-one-night. Impenetrably complex crime plots. David Mamet. Buster Keaton. Snow. And above all else, the pure cinematic joy of watching two incandescent movie stars face off on a giant screen.”

Pitt appears at the festival soon after his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, who recently received acclaim for her portrayal of opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s “Maria.” She left Italy shortly after presenting her film.

Pitt and Jolie, who were romantic partners for a decade, married in 2014. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, and while a judge declared them single in 2019, the divorce case remains unresolved due to custody and financial disputes. Recently, a Los Angeles court granted their third-eldest child, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, the petition to legally change her name to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie.

Source: AP News