An update on David Ayer’s “Heart of the Beast,” starring Brad Pitt. It’s shooting in March and the great JK Simmons (“Whiplash”) has joined the cast.
Simmons won an Oscar, Golden Globe and SAG Award for his turn as the ruthless music professor in “Whiplash.” He’s one of the best character actors in the game. Simmons’ other notable performances include “Juno,” “Spider-Man,” “Up in the Air,” and his turn as Vernon in HBO’s “Oz.”
“Heart of the Beast,” written by newcomer Cameron Alexander, and co-produced by Damien Chazelle, tackles a former Army Special Forces Soldier (Pitt) and his retired combat dog who battle for survival after a plane crash deep in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness.
Pitt and Ayer previously collaborated on 2014’s “Fury,” an excellent WWII epic that grossed over $200M at the worldwide box-office. In fact, it’s probably Ayer’s best movie. The filmmaker’s other credits include “Harsh Times,” “Street Kings,” “End of Watch,” and “The Beekeeper.” Let’s not mention “Suicide Squad,” which Ayer has now completely disowned.