George Clooney and Brad Pitt are two of Hollywood’s most casually charismatic stars. They have starred in several films together and have done it yet again for the movie Wolfs. The film was welcomed with open arms at the Venice International Film Festival recently, which also witnessed the premiere of Pitt’s ex-wife Angelina Jolie’s biographical film, Maria, just a few days ago.
The panel for Wolfs sat down for a Q&A session in which Pitt and Clooney behaved like typical best friends who do not hesitate in pulling each other’s legs at any given occasion. In fact, the Batman & Robin star even joked about repeating one horrendous thing that he did to Pitt’s character in a previous collaboration.
George Clooney Joked About Doing One Rather Horrendous Thing That He Did to Brad Pitt Years Ago
George Clooney and Brad Pitt have been friends for over two decades now, as the foundations of their friendship were laid all the way back in 2001. That was the year the movie Ocean’s 11, featuring their first collaboration, was released. Their friendship only grew stronger with each new film of that franchise.
Even after that, they found a way to keep working with each other every now and then. 2008’s Burn After Reading is one such movie, and Pitt also had a cameo in Clooney’s directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. They were also credited among the voice cast for John Krasinski’s film, If. Pitt’s character was silent throughout the film, so it really cannot be counted as an official collaboration.
Fast forward to this year when they are officially collaborating, and Pitt has a character that not only speak,s but also spars with his on-screen fixer rival, with whom he reluctantly joins hands. At the Venice Internation Film Festival, when Clooney was asked about his decision to work with the Fight Club star again, he joked (via abc News):
In ‘Burn After Reading’ I got the extreme pleasure of shooting him in the face and I thought maybe we’d try it again 15 years later.
Surprising as it may sound, it was for the Coen Brothers’ R-rated film that the duo walked the red carpet together, and not one of the Ocean’s movies. That said, it is always nice to see old friends together on the screens, even if they behave as rivals at the beginning.
Wolfs Was An Easy Project for the Stars to Pick
Pitt noted that their off-screen camaraderie of years made the banter and overlapping dialogues they were required to do come easily, and that he had been looking for a good idea to reunite with the Syriana star. Unlike his friend, Pitt answered the question about working with Clooney again seriously, as he said (via Vulture):
As I get older, just working with the people that I just really enjoy spending time with has become really important to me.
The actors also revealed that the movie was made based on the first draft itself and that director Jon Watts did not even specify which character each of them was playing. Clooney said:
We talked to each other on the phone and we both figured out which one we were.
Further, they expressed their disappointment at the fact that their movie did not get a wide theatrical release and will premiere on digital platforms after a limited theatrical release. Even so, they insisted that streaming platforms are also important.
Wolfs will be released in theatres on September 20 for a limited period before hitting Apple TV+ on September 27.
Frequently asked questions
What did George Clooney joke about doing to Brad Pitt’s character in Wolfs?
Clooney joked about shooting Pitt’s character again, referencing their 2008 film Burn After Reading. He said, “In ‘Burn After Reading’ I got the extreme pleasure of shooting him in the face and I thought maybe we’d try it again 15 years later.” In that earlier film, Clooney’s character Harry Pfarrer reflexively kills Pitt’s character Chad Feldheimer with a handgun when startled by finding him in a closet.
What is the R-rated $163 million blockbuster Clooney referenced?
The reference is to Burn After Reading, the 2008 Coen Brothers black comedy starring Clooney and Pitt. The film grossed roughly $163 million worldwide against a $37 million budget. In it, Clooney’s character shoots and kills Pitt’s character Chad, the gag Clooney revived in his Wolfs joke about reuniting with Pitt 15 years later.
When was Wolfs released in theaters and on streaming?
According to the article, Wolfs received a limited theatrical release on September 20, 2024, followed by its premiere on Apple TV+ on September 27, 2024. The film, in which Clooney and Pitt play lone-wolf fixers forced to work together, premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. Director Jon Watts reportedly let the two actors decide between themselves over a phone call which character each would play.
