EXCLUSIVE:Apple pivots to film starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt directed by Jon Watts Wolveswhich makes its world premiere at 81st Venice Film Festival. Apple Original Films has struck a deal with Watts to write, direct and produce a sequel for Clooney and Pitt.
At the same time, Apple has changed its plan to Wolves The film is expected to be released in many theaters before being available on Apple TV+. It will be released in theaters on September 20, then will debut worldwide on Apple TV+ on Friday, September 27.
Apple confirmed the release change, but sources said it did not signal a shift in its hybrid strategy of a streaming service release preceded by a wide theatrical release with P&A that was undertaken with The Flower Moon Killers And Napoleon. Apple will stick to the wide theatrical release of its other film with Pitt, the Formula 1 drama F1, which is directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The instigatorsThe Doug Liman-directed heist film starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck is getting a limited release this week ahead of its premiere Friday on Apple TV+.
Apple will make decisions based on the market; its recent release, Fly me to the moondid not have much success in theaters despite the presence of Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in the lead roles. This film was distributed by Sony, which also handles distribution on Wolves.
Apple’s next big feature after that, the Steve McQueen-directed World War II drama Blitzwill be released in limited theaters on November 1. Sources said Wolves is a heavily tested audience success, but it was seen as the best strategy to secure the biggest audience for a star-driven film on the Apple TV+ streaming site.
In WolvesClooney plays a professional agent hired to cover up a high-profile crime. But when a second agent (Pitt) arrives and the two lone wolves are forced to work together, their night spirals out of control in ways neither of them expected. The cast also includes Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, Poorna Jagannathan, Richard Kind and Zlatko Burić. The film is produced in partnership with Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures and Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment.
Watts, who is directing his first original film since his breakthrough cop carafter having led the The Return of Spider-Man trilogy with Tom Holland and Zendaya, produced Wolves starring Dianne McGunigle; Clooney is producing alongside his Smokehouse co-star Grant Heslov; and Pitt is producing alongside his Plan B co-stars Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. The production order is: Pitt, Dede Gardner, Kleiner, Heslov, Clooney, Watts and McGunigle. Michael Beugg is executive producing.
“Wolves “This is the kind of blockbuster film that makes Apple TV+ a unique home for the best in entertainment,” Matt Dentler, head of Apple Original Films, said in a statement. “With George and Brad’s remarkable and captivating chemistry under the extraordinary direction of Jon Watts, Wolfs weaves together all the great elements of comedy, action and drama into a wildly entertaining film that will leave audiences eager for more. Releasing the film in theaters before its general availability to Apple TV+ customers brings the best of both worlds to audiences, and we’re excited to see fans embrace the film as we begin work with Jon on the sequel.”
here is Wolves trailer:
