The highly anticipated film “Wolfs,” starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Sunday night, receiving a four-minute standing ovation from the enthusiastic crowd.
The premiere was delayed by more than 30 minutes as fans packed into the Sala Grande in hopes of catching a glimpse of the two megastars. When Pitt and Clooney finally arrived, the atmosphere in the theater was electric. The actors greeted the crowd with a boisterous “Buonasera!” as fans shouted back, hoping to be noticed.
Despite the film starting, the chaos continued, with some latecomers scrambling to find empty seats. Security had to eject a few people during the early scenes.
When the credits rolled on the crime comedy, Pitt and Clooney embraced before dancing to Sade’s “Smooth Operator.” Clooney then shared a sweet kiss with his wife, Amal, before the two actors descended the stairs from the balcony to greet the cheering fans.
The four-minute ovation, while significant, was perhaps not as long as expected given the star power of Pitt and Clooney. However, festival officials seemed eager to clear the theater due to the late start time and unruly energy.
Pitt’s arrival came just two days after his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, debuted her film “Maria” at the festival, receiving an eight-minute standing ovation and Oscar buzz. Neither mentioned their long-pending divorce, and Pitt was not asked about court documents alleging a history of physical abuse in their marriage.
Written and directed by Jon Watts, who had to miss the premiere after testing positive for COVID, “Wolfs” stars Pitt and Clooney as two professional fixers who must work together after being hired for the same job. The film also features Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams, and Poorna Jagannathan. A sequel is already in development with Watts and the two stars attached.
“Wolfs” marks the first time Pitt and Clooney have co-headlined a film since the Coen Brothers’ 2008 black comedy “Burn After Reading.” Prior to that, they co-starred in the “Ocean’s” franchise from 2001 to 2007. Both actors have graced the Lido before, with Clooney attending in 2009 for “The Men Who Stare at Goats” and Pitt premiering “Fight Club” in 1999 and earning the Volpi Cup for best actor with “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford” in 2007.
After its Venice premiere, “Wolfs” will have a limited theatrical release starting September 20 before debuting on Apple TV+ on September 27.
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