Brad Pitt is one of those actors that lends instant credibility to any film that he’s attached to star in. No matter what the plot of the film might be, Pitt has entered the exclusive superstar level that makes film fans interested in anything he does, just as they would be for people like Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Downey, Jr, and Angelina Jolie, to name only a few. But if he signs on for the film he’s rumored to be interested in next, he might end up, in a rare situation playing second-fiddle.
According to Deadline, Brad Pitt is reportedly in the running to star in Damien Chazelle’s just-announced film “Babylon.” However, he’s not the person that would be carrying the load, so to speak, as we previously reported that Emma Stone is also in the running to star in the film.
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“Babylon” is expected to be at the center of a fairly sizable bidding war after Chazelle’s previous films have been critically-acclaimed and done well at the box office. Especially his last one with Stone at the lead, as “La La Land” not only became a box office smash but an Oscar winner. The film is said to be set in 1920s Hollywood, mixing real and fictional characters, as the film industry moves away from the silent era into “talkies.” “Babylon” is expected to be R-rated and carry a hefty budget, which again is par for the course for Chazelle, as he’s an immaculate craftsman with no qualms about spending money.
This would be the first collaboration between the director and Pitt. The actor is on the precipice of releasing his latest film, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” which is with another auteur director, Quentin Tarantino. It’s clear that Pitt is at the point in his career where he’s more interested in the specific project and less reliant on finding blockbusters. However, if he signs on for “Babylon,” he could have an awards contender with serious box office power.
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How close Pitt is to starring in the film is a bit debatable. Deadline’s report makes it seem like he’s on the verge of being approached for the film, while Justin Kroll (of Variety) said on Twitter that Pitt is just one of the actors that Chazelle wants for the role and hasn’t been formally introduced to the project yet. As always, we’ll likely find out soon enough.
Update on the update: Pitt hasn't even met so yep, there you go, file that one under "dream-casting" instead of real casting.
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) July 15, 2019