Wolfs (film)

StarringCinematographyLarkin SeipleEdited byAndrew WeisblumMusic byTheodore ShapiroDistributed byApple Original Films
Columbia Pictures (through Sony Pictures Releasing)^[1]108 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish

Wolfs is a 2024 American action comedy film written and directed by Jon Watts. The film stars George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, and Poorna Jagannathan. Its plot follows two professional fixers who are forced to work together on a job despite their preference to operate as lone wolves.

Wolfs premiered out of competition at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, on September 1, 2024, and is scheduled to receive a limited theatrical release in the United States by Columbia Pictures (through Sony Pictures Releasing) on September 20, 2024, before its streaming debut by Apple TV+ on September 27, 2024.

Two professional fixers who prefer to work alone find themselves forced to work together after being hired for the same job.^[2][3]

• George Clooney as Jack
• Brad Pitt as Nick
• Amy Ryan as Margaret
• Austin Abrams as Kid
• Poorna Jagannathan as June
• Zlatko Burić as Dimitri
• Richard Kind as Kid's dad
• Frances McDormand as the voice of Pamela Dowd-Henry^[4]

In September 2021, a studio bidding war began for a film package that included Jon Watts as writer and director, with George Clooney and Brad Pitt on board to star and produce via their respective production labels, Smokehouse Pictures and Plan B Entertainment.^[5] Wolfs reunites the two actors, who previously worked on the Ocean's trilogy (2001–2007) and appeared in one scene together in Burn After Reading (2008).^[2][6] Apple TV+ acquired the rights to the film after winning the bidding war against Amazon MGM Studios, Annapurna Pictures, Lionsgate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Netflix, Sony Pictures (which would later take over theatrical distribution rights), Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Pictures.^[7] Additional cast members were revealed in 2023.^[8][9][10] Principal photography reportedly began in January 2023 in New York City, including the neighborhoods of Harlem and Chinatown.^[11][12] Larkin Seiple, who previously shot Watts' Cop Car (2015), was the cinematographer of the approximately 70-day shoot.^[13]

In August 2024, The New York Times reported that Apple paid Clooney and Pitt more than $35 million to star and Watts more than $15 million to direct the film.^[14] Clooney denied this claim, stating, "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".^[15]

Wolfs is scheduled for a limited theatrical release in the United States on September 20, 2024, before debuting on Apple TV+ on September 27.^[16] It was originally set for a wide release since Apple acquired it in 2021, Clooney and Pitt having "made the deal to do that movie where we gave money back to make sure that we had a theatrical release."^[17] In December 2023, Apple entered another agreement with Sony Pictures Releasing, following their partnership on Napoleon, to distribute the film in cinemas, scheduling it for release in the United States on September 20, 2024.^[18][19]

In August 2024, six weeks before its release, Apple announced its decision to pivot from a wide release to a limited release on the same date.^[16][14] The New York Times noted that Sony, who had agreed to distribute the film and split the marketing costs with Apple, was set to begin a national marketing campaign during the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, Zack Van Amburg, who oversees Apple's entertainment programming, canceled those plans, as Apple executives hoped "to not risk a public disappointment should the movie not succeed at the box office".^[14] Clooney said he and Pitt put some of their salary into keeping the limited release.^[20]

The film premiered out of competition at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2024. Watts skipped the event due to contracting COVID.^[21]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 67% of 36 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.0/10.^[22] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 62 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.^[23]

A month prior to its release, Apple confirmed a sequel was in the works, with Watts, Clooney, and Pitt returning.^[16] Of the announcement, Watts said, "Apple's been talking to me about a sequel since I turned in my cut in December [2023]. That's always been an ongoing discussion. I absolutely did not write the movie with a sequel in mind. But it was very fun to make, so I don't know, I think you let the audience decide if they want to see more."^[6]

• Official website
• Wolfs at IMDb