George Clooney and Brad Pitt have given back some of their salaries for their upcoming movieWolfs, following the film’s wider theatrical release getting cancelled. The upcoming Apple original follows the pair as feuding fixers who are forced to work with one another after getting hired for the exact same cleanup job. Reviews for theBrad Pitt and George Clooneymovie have been generally positive, following its premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival on Sunday.
However,The Hollywood Reporterhas confirmedClooney and Pitt gave back some of their salaries forWolfsafter the film was pulled from a wider theatrical release.At Venice Film Festival, Clooney confirmed he and his co-star gave back part of their salaries after theatrical distribution was reduced to only select theaters the week before the movie’s Apple TV+ premiere. He also denied reports the duo had been paid $35 million each for the movie, claiming it to be “millions and millions and millions of dollars less.” Check out what Clooney had to say about him and Pitt’s decision below:
[It was] an interesting article and whatever her source was for our salary, it is millions and millions and millions of dollars less than what was reported. And I am only saying that because I think it’s bad for our industry if that’s what people think is the standard bearer for salaries. I think that’s terrible, it’ll make it impossible to make films.
Yes, we wanted it to be released [in theaters]. We’ve had some bumps along the way, that happens. When I did [Clooney-directed biographical sports drama]The Boys in the Boat, we did it for MGM, and then it ended up being for Amazon and we didn’t get a foreign release at all, which was a surprise. There are elements of this that we are figuring out. You guys are all in this too. We’re all in this industry and we’re trying to find our way post-COVID and everything else, and so there’s some bumps along the way. It is a bummer of course, but on the other hand, a lot of people are going to see the film and we are getting a release in a few hundred theaters, so we’re getting a release. But yeah, it would’ve been nice if we to have a wide release.
What Clooney & Pitt’s Salary Reductions Mean For Wolfs
It’s An Important Gesture Following Its Theatrical Cancellation
Positive reviews forWolfshave highlighted the movie’s lack of a wider theatrical release as a disservice to the funny, character-driven action comedy. Apple’s decision was also made rather quickly,happening just six weeks before the movie was scheduled to premiere on the big screen on September 20.While select theaters will screen the movie, its presence will be limited before it arrives on Apple TV+ the following week. Although it’s unclear how long it will stay on the big screen before it becomes exclusive for streaming, it won’t be nearly as present in theaters as it would have been.
Clooney and Pitt giving back part of their salaries makes sense because of this muted release, the pair deciding to equalize their payout in accordance with the change. SinceApple is already interested in makingWolfs 2, though, it’s unclear if they’ll wind up taking a similar payout as their original theatrical one, should they decide to return at all. Given the cut they’ve already taken, it indicates they won’t come back for a sequel unless they deem their salaries fair depending on if the movie goes to theaters or straight to streaming.
Brad Pitt & George Clooney Officially Have Their Ocean’s Replacement Franchise After 17 Years
Brad Pitt & George Clooney’s latest movie Wolfs, their first collaboration since 2008, already has a sequel in the works weeks before its release.
Given the positive reception of the movie so far, though, it seems like Apple could have chanced a wider theatrical release without worrying too much about a box office bomb. While it’s an understandable decision,given the failure of expensive movies likeNapoelonandArgyllein theaters, the quickness of the decision could make audiences untrustworthy of the company’s decisions moving forward. With Clooney and Pitt’s actions reflective of their opinions on the sudden change, it’s clearWolfswas meant for the big screen.
Wolfscurrently has a 67% critics score based on 12 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
Wolfs
Cast
Wolfs is an action-thriller film written and directed by Jon Watts, and sees the on-screen reunion of Brad Pitt and George Clooney after nearly fifteen years. The film centers on two fixers who are brought together when they’re both hired for the same job.
