Apple TV+’s newest original movie,Wolfs, is set to begin streaming on September 27 after a short preview run in theaters. The action comedy is written and directed by Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home), who has plenty of fun with the “lone wolf” trope thanks in large part to his killer cast. The characters are all colorful and memorable, despite not providing so much as their names for audiences to recognize them (which is part of the gag, of course).
George Clooney and Brad Pitt team uponce more inWolfs, this time playing fixers who see each other as professional enemies — mostly because they consider no one an ally but themselves. They end up forced to work together when a young man (Euphoria’s Austin Abrams, who is known as merely “Kid” throughout the movie) overdoses in a politician’s (The Office’s Amy Ryan) hotel room. Their reluctant duo becomes a trio when the Kid is revealed to still be alive, but they still need to make evidence of the entire night disappear.Wolfsalso stars Poorna Jagannathan, Richard Kind, and the voice of Frances McDormand.
Wolfs Debuts On Rotten Tomatoes With George Clooney’s Best Score Since 2016
The upcoming action-comedy Wolfs debuts on Rotten Tomatoes after its Venice premiere with star George Clooney’s best score in eight years.
Screen Rant interviewed Abrams about getting to work withClooney and Pitt inWolfs, how he handled being out in the cold in his underwear for a key action scene, and what his key to getting into character was when the script doesn’t even give said character a name.
“I think just being present and focusing on the character is probably the best way to tackle it.”
Screen Rant: People always talk about the chemistry between George and Brad, but it’s a trio now. I feel like the three of you together have fantastic chemistry. Can you elaborate on your character of the Kid and how his innocence and kindness play into the story ofWolfs?
Austin Abrams: Yeah, he’s a very naive, heart-forward kind of guy, and I think that element helps the two guys warm to him. Because it gets to the point where they have to make a decision to kill him or not, but I think that his heart maybe helps warm both of them up.
Screen Rant: I’ve met George Clooney once for a junket, and I’m not going to lie, I was pretty intimidated sitting across from that dude. He’s a legend, so I can only imagine how it is for you. Was it intimidating acting alongside George and Brad?
Austin Abrams: Super intimidating, and I couldn’t tell you how I managed it. I think you manage it as best you can by being present in the moment and not getting too heady about all of it because then you’re kind of f–ked. But yeah, man, it is intimidating. I was probably as intimidated as you were.
I grew up watching both of them, and you hear their voice and you see their face, and of course, that’s not them. That’s like the avatar. When you’re meeting the real person, it’s still really intimidating just in the sense of how smart they are and funny, witty. It’s a challenge, for sure, and I think just being present and focusing on the character is probably the best way to tackle it.
Screen Rant: How did George and Brad make you feel comfortable on set, especially during your first scene together?
Austin Abrams: Yeah, they really were really amazing and welcoming, just really talking to me. I was an old friend of theirs or something, which was still tough for me and my own sense and overwhelming in a way as well, but they couldn’t have been more amazing and doing their best to make me feel comfortable and at ease, and just telling me stories and all these kinds of things. Yeah, they were great.
Austin Abrams Recalls One Intense Nearly Naked Chase Scene & More Wolfs Memories
“I hadn’t fully anticipated just how long it would take to shoot that action.”
Screen Rant: Jon Watts gets back to his roots in this film with Wolfs. Can you talk about working with him as a collaborator and what his directing style added toWolfs?
Austin Abrams: He is a really, really smart guy. I think he knows what he wants and his writing, especially for this, is very specific. Working on it, you could really just follow it as an actor and use it as a blueprint. But he’s great, man. He approaches everything with a sense of adventure and is very open and excited for what’s going on and what we’re shooting day by day. That energy is really infectious on the set and has great ease and confidence. He’s great to work with.
Screen Rant: There is a rigorous chase scene in this film that’s about 15 minutes of the actual film. Can you walk us through how you prepared mentally and physically for that chase scene?
Austin Abrams: Yeah, it definitely is challenging. You’re in your underwear in the cold, and your muscles tighten up, and there’s a big challenge physically and mentally. I was just prepared to do whatever I needed to do. Also, you’re running for your life in the story, and once your body gets going, it’s easy to just focus on that.
Physically, I was completely under-prepared. I don’t know how long the chasing is, but I do know that I’m pretty sure in the script it was like three or five pages or something like that. I hadn’t fully anticipated just how long it would take to shoot that action. It was definitely more than I thought it was going to be.
Screen Rant: Stunt coordinator Dan Brown praised your perseverance in the cold. How did you manage to stay focused and perform your best despite the harsh conditions?
Austin Abrams: Yeah, you just do what you’ve got to do. There’s not really any special thing to it, you know what I mean? You’re really just happy to be there. I mean, every day I’m just happy to be with the people I’m working with, Brad and George and Jon and the whole crew. You just focus on just trying to do the best that you’re able to. There’s not really any sort of secret recipe to it other than just you just get on with it, really.
The Kid’s Unique Wardrobe Was An Integral Part Of Getting Into Character
“I’m just basically experiencing whatever the character’s feeling.”
Screen Rant: What did you want to bring to the role of the Kid that went beyond the page?
Austin Abrams: Yeah, I think the heart was important to me, and then also doing the best you can to find specificity with the character and doing the best you can to create a whole person.
Of course, the character doesn’t even have a name in the story, and you don’t see any of the character’s life except for when you visit his dad for a second, which gives you maybe some sort of hint, but I think about really creating a whole life for that person so that when you see them on the screen, you may hopefully feel that there is life there. I think that was important.
Screen Rant: You have two wardrobe changes in this film. For most of the film, I feel like you’re either in your tighty whities and socks, or you’re in the blouse and pants. Can you tell me how both of those wardrobes helped you get into character?
Austin Abrams: Yeah, they’re both wardrobes that I’m not normally accustomed to wearing at least in front of large groups of people. Immediately, it just tosses you into the water or something like that; in a situation that you’re not used to being in, which, if anything lends itself to the film because I’m just basically experiencing whatever the character’s feeling.
It was definitely intimidating, and there are certainly feelings around it, but that was just telling you more about the character and lending itself to the project, I think. But it certainly was intimidating.
Screen Rant: George Clooney mentioned that you’re scary talented. How does it feel to receive such high praise from someone of his stature?
Austin Abrams: That’s great, man. I mean, it’s so crazy. It’s so wild, and I’m so grateful. I can’t even tell you. To hear something like that from someone that I grew up watching is pretty crazy. Just gratitude is the only thing, really.
Screen Rant: Richard Kind plays your dad in the film. Given his longstanding friendship with George Clooney, were there any humorous or heartwarming moments that you experienced with the two of them on set?
Austin Abrams: Yeah, totally. Definitely. It was really great to see. They’ve known each other for so long, and also having Grant Heslov produce the movie when he’s been just as long of a friend of George’s. George is an amazing storyteller, and so is Richard, and hearing Richard tell the story firsthand about George giving a bunch of friends a million dollars or something like that was pretty special.
More About Apple TV+’s Wolfs (2024)
Global superstars George Clooney and Brad Pitt team up for the action comedy Wolfs. Clooney plays a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime. But when a second fixer (Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected.
Wolfsis currently playing in select theaters and begins streaming on Apple TV+ on September 27.
Wolfs
Cast
Wolfs is an action-thriller film written and directed by Jon Watts, and sees the on-screen reunion of Brad Pitt and George Clooney after nearly fifteen years. The film centers on two fixers who are brought together when they’re both hired for the same job.
