Brad Pitt to star in, produce action film ‘Heart of the Beast’
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Brad Pitt has found his next starring role.
The actor will star in and produce the film Heart of the Beast for Paramount Pictures, Deadline first reported on Friday. David Ayer will direct the action adventure movie, marking his and Pitt’s first collaboration since they worked together on the 2014 film Fury.
Cameron Alexander wrote and will executive produce Heart of the Beast, which follows the story of a former Army Special Forces soldier and his retired combat dog who have to survive after their plane crashes in the Alaskan wilderness.
La La Land director Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton will also work as producers on the film, along with Ayer and Richard Raymond, who is co-producing.
Mufasa: The Lion King has topped this weekend’s box office, bringing in $23.8 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
This is The Lion King prequel’s first weekend in the #1 spot; the past two weekends it’s been beaten by Sonic the Hedgehog 3. With the latest totals, Mufasa has now grossed $168.6 million since its Dec. 20 opening.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 slips to second this weekend with $21.2 million, followed by Nosferatu in third with $13.2 mil, Moana 2 in fourth with $12.39 million and Wicked in fifth with $10.2 mil.
Here are the top 10 films at the box office:
1. Mufasa: The Lion King – $23.83 million 2. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 – $21.2 million 3. Nosferatu – $13.2 million 4. Moana 2 – $12.39 million 5. Wicked – $10.2 6. A Complete Unknown – $8.06 million 7. Babygirl – $4.49 million 8. Gladiator II – $2.67 million 9. Homestead – $2.1 million 10. The Fire Inside – $1.23 million
Julia Stiles makes her feature directorial debut with Wish You Were Here, now playing in movie theaters.
The journey to making her first film was long, but the actress-turned-director told ABC Audio it was something she always dreamed of.
“It’s been a career-long dream of mine to direct a movie,” Stiles said. “I spent so long looking for the right story. And then I was sent this book, Wish You Were Here, five years ago, and it just totally hit me as something that needed to be a movie.”
After she found the story she wanted to develop for the big screen, it took Stiles half a decade to get the project made.
“In the five years since we set out to make it, I feel like the story has only gotten deeper and more meaningful for me,” Stiles said. “I feel like we need a movie like this right now that’s full of hope and is about love and taking care of another person.”
Stiles, known for her roles in iconic romance films like 10 Things I Hate About You and Save the Last Dance, said the genre has always spoken to her.
“I’m a romantic at heart. I love the idea that people can find their soulmate,” Stiles said. “One of the things that I love about the way that … we approached the love story, and it comes from the book, is that it’s much more mature than the age of the characters.”
As for the differences between acting and directing, Stiles said she definitely got to flex different muscles.
“Being an actor or a performer, a lot of times you’re just being told what to do or be,” Stiles said. “But being a director, you really have to be a good manager. You have to be good with multitasking, thinking 10 steps ahead, but also being present. And there’s a logical part of my brain that got put to work that was really enjoyable for me.”
The hit Alien: Romulus will be free to stream for Hulu subscribers on Nov. 21 and will also be available to stream via Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers.
The movie from director Fede Alvarez stars Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu and “takes the phenomenally successful Alien franchise back to its iconic roots,” according to 20th Century Studios.
The movie centers on a group of young space salvagers who “come face-to-face with the most relentless and deadly life form in the universe.”
Alien: Romulus was Certified Fresh on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and has earned more than $315 million worldwide since its release on Aug. 16.
20th Century Studios is a division of Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
