Two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, George Clooney and Brad Pitt have teamed up to star in an upcoming action comedy titled, Wolfs. The actors would be portraying professional fixers hired to cover up a major crime, forcing the two lone wolves to work together. Several news outlets have started releasing rumors about the new movie, but one statement caused the actor himself to respond.
The movie premiered out of competition at the Venice Film Festival, and Clooney utilized the platform to address one viral rumor about the film. Referring to the absurd claim of the lead actors receiving $35 million each as salary, the Insomnia actor stated it was exaggerated. He claimed their actual pay was way less, and the rumor could cause serious harm to show business.
The truth behind the numbers: Wolf’s lead speaks out
Wolfs, the new action-comedy film featuring the iconic duo of George Clooney and Brad Pitt, recently premiered at the Venice Film Festival. The stage was set, so the senior actor took the chance to clear a major rumor about the film.
According to a claim made by the New York Times (via Movie Web), both the lead pair allegedly received $35 million for their respective roles. This exorbitant pay shocked the audience, especially when it was revealed that the film had a limited run-time at the theatre.
Whatever [the reporter’s] source was for our salary, its millions and millions and millions of dollars less than what was reported.
The same report mentioned that the film would have a one-week theatrical run before debuting on Apple TV+ because a sequel was announced. But contrary to the rumors, Clooney denied the claim at the premiere event (via Screendaily), stating their actual salary was much less.
I only say that because I think it’s bad for our industry if people think that is the standard-bearer for salaries. It will make it impossible to make films.
The Syriana star also revealed they were unhappy about the film’s reduced theatrical release. The pair even used a portion of their salary to extend the dates further. The Ocean’s 11 actor further clarified that he knew the absurd rumor would harm show business, and that is the reason he had to address it.
Reunited and ready for action: the iconic duo
Jonathan ‘Jon’ Watts is most well-known for directing the Spider-Man trilogy (2017-2021) for the MCU. He also directed and co-wrote the horror film, Clown (2014), and thriller film, Cop Car (2015). His upcoming venture, the thriller comedy film, Wolfs, is sure to showcase the director’s exceptional skills.
The new movie featured the reunion of the lead actors after almost 16 years, with their last project being Burn After Reading (2008). On the film’s premiere in Venice, Pitt stated (via Deadline) that they were waiting for an opportunity for them to reunite onscreen.
We kind of figured there’s gotta be a good reason to get back in a film together, something we feel like we could build upon what we’ve done before.
We liked the idea and (Jon) wrote this first draft and I read it and I said great, and George read it and he said great.
The Fight Club star mentioned feeling burned out from doing repetitive roles, so on reading Watts’ script he immediately hopped on board. The movie also gave him the chance to work with his long-time friend and co-star, which was a bonus.
Fans are bummed out at the film not getting a wider theatrical release. But with the star cast and a dedicated director at the helm, the chances of the movie being a success at the box office are higher. Wolfs is scheduled to be released in theatre on 20 September 2024.
