Brad Pitt has lined up his next project. The Oscar-winning actor has signed on to star inBullet Train, which is currently in the works at Sony Pictures. David Leitch, who is known for his work directingDeadpool 2and theFast & Furiousspin-offHobbs & Shaw, recently signed on to direct what is being described as a contained action/thriller. It looks to be the next project on deck for both Pitt and Leitch, who have been carefully strategizing following their recent successes.
According to several reports,Bullet Trainwill be the next directorial effort for David Leitch followingHobbs & Shaw, as well as the next starring effort forBrad Pitt. The 56-year-old actor is coming off of an Oscar win for his work in Quentin Tarantino’sOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood. This also marks the eighth collaboration overall between Leitch and Pitt. Before becoming a director, Leitch worked as a stuntman. He worked as a stunt double for Pitt on movies likeFight Club,Ocean’s Eleven,The MexicanandSpy Game, as well asTroyandMr. and Mrs. Smith. Though, Leitch was an uncredited stunt double in most cases. Pitt also had a brief cameo inDeadpool 2.
Bullet Trainis based on Japanese novelMaria Beetleby Kotaro Isaka. The book is set to be published in English next year. It centers on a group of five assassins who find themselves on a fast moving train from Tokyo to Morioka with only a few stops in between. They come to find their missions are not unrelated to each other. It then becomes a matter of who will make it off of the train alive, as well as what awaits them at the terminal.
Zak Olkewicz is set to pen the screenplay, withDavid Leitchsupervising. Olkewicz previously served as a producer onLights Outand wrote the script for the upcoming adaptation of R.L. Stine’sFear Street. Leitch, Kelly McCormick, Antoine Fuqua and Kat Samick are set to produce. Fuqua had originally been developing the project.
David Leitch has been on a hot streak as of late. He co-directed the firstJohn Wickbefore moving on to helmAtomic Blondesolo, which went on to become a hit. That paved the way for him to take onDeadpool 2, which grossed $734 million worldwide.Hobbs & Shawmanaged to successfully expand the scope ofFast & Furious, earning $759 million.
Brad Pitt remains one of the most in-demand stars in Hollywood. In 2019, Pitt also starred in director James Gray’sAd Astra. Pitt is also set to star alongside Emma Stone in Damien Chazelle’sBabylon. Production on that project has been bumped to 2021, which freed Pitt up to sign on forBullet Train. There is no word yet on when production will begin, but given the scope of the movie, it is said the production will be able to utilize a closed set. That will make it much easier to shoot, given the new restrictions and safety protocols in place. This news was previously reported byVariety.
