A new film from action director David Leitch is always worth keeping an eye on. In a relatively short time, thanks to “John Wick,” “Atomic Blonde,” and more, the director has proven himself to be one of the best genre filmmakers working today. But adding Brad Pitt to the mixture, as is the case with the upcoming “Bullet Train,” suddenly makes the film an absolute must-see.
According to Deadline, Brad Pitt has signed on to star in David Leitch’s upcoming action film, “Bullet Train,” which is aiming to begin filming by the end of the year. The feature tells the story of five different assassins that find themselves on the same train ride with similar missions. However, no one really knows what the full story behind their missions is and what awaits them when the train comes to a full and complete stop. The new film is based on the Japanese novel, “Maria Beetle,” by author Kotaro Isaka. “Bullet Train” is scripted by Zak Olkewicz, but it’s being reported that Leitch is overseeing a rewrite that will get the production ready to film.
Pitt is coming off another banner year, with last year’s release of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” which ended up earning him his first Oscar win for an acting performance. Previously, he won an Oscar for being a producer of the film, “12 Years a Slave.” He also recently starred in the underappreciated sci-fi drama, “Ad Astra.” Of course, there’s no need to list all of his well-known movies, as Pitt is one of the most popular actors working today.
In addition to his uncredited help directing the first “John Wick” film, as well as his official debut, “Atomic Blonde,” Leitch is probably best known for his most recent features, “Deadpool 2” (which actually has a sneaky Pitt cameo) and “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.” Those two films each were massive box office hits and crowd favorites, cementing the filmmaker’s status in the action genre.
It’s unclear when “Bullet Train” is likely to arrive in theaters, but if filming begins later this year, we could see it premiere either in late-2021 or (more likely) spring/summer 2022.