All aboard! David Leitch's Bullet Train is officially on the move. Only the latest action blockbuster from the director of Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2, this slick thrill-ride is expected to be a knockout — particularly with its hefty roster of A-list talent involved, including Brad Pitt, Joey King, Sandra Bullock, Lady Gaga, Zazie Beetz, and more. Based on the acclaimed novel by Kotaro Isaka, Bullet Train will be one of the biggest movies of the first half of next year, and everything we've learned about this film makes it sound quite enticing. But let's not jump the gun. Here's what we know about this new thriller.
Bullet Train Will Be Released On April 8th, 2022
Bullet Train is coming, but it's not exactly a high-speed rail. Even though it was shot last year, the latest David Leitch movie won't make its way into theaters until April 8th, 2022, which puts it right in the middle of the bustling spring movie season. Admittedly, with many release dates on shaky ground, it's hard to say for sure that the movie will make that date. For the present moment, though, that's when this train is scheduled to arrive.
It’s Directed By Deadpool 2’s David Leitch
When John Wick shot its way into theaters, nobody knew that the hyper-violent action movie would change the genre for the next decade-plus to follow. Certainly, it turned former stuntman Chad Stahelski into a franchise filmmaker, and even though he was only credited as a producer, the Keanu Reeves starring vehicle also elevated co-director David Leitch into one of the most hard-working studio moviemakers in recent years.
Over the past few years, David Leitch helmed Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Now, he has a train to catch. Leitch's newest movie features what's easily his biggest ensemble and what will surely be his most elaborate filmmaking yet, particularly in one condensed (and fast-moving) locomotive location. John Wick's influence only continues to be held in Hollywood and abroad, and Leitch's elevated career is just one example of the action flick's lasting stronghold on the genre.
Bullet Train Will Star Brad Pitt
Particularly over the last few years, Brad Pitt's interests have shifted behind the camera rather than in front of it. Through his Plan B banner, Pitt became the Oscar-winning producer behind acclaimed films like 12 Years a Slave, If Beale Street Could Talk, The Big Short, The Departed, Selma, Moonlight, Okja, The Lost City of Z, and, most recently, Minari. But Pitt does continue to act — if maybe not as frequently as he once did. Of late, he led Ad Astra, Fury, By the Sea, Allied, and War Machine, and the A-lister provided notable supporting turns in The Counselor and Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood, for which he won an Oscar. Now, Pitt will lend his dynamite star power to David Leitch's Bullet Train, which is expected to be one of his most intense performances thus far.
While it's a shame that Brad Pitt doesn't act as often as he used to, the A-list celebrity plays it smart with his star presence. He will use his influence to produce some of the most rewarding indie movies of the past decade, and his recent performances are among the best to date. Hopefully, that's also the case with Pitt's newest star vehicle.
The All-Star Cast Includes Zazie Beetz, Brian Tyree Henry, Sandra Bullock, Lady Gaga, Joey King, And More
Along with Brad Pitt leading the proceedings, Bullet Train will feature an ensemble filled with A-list talent, including (but not limited to) Joey King, Zazie Beetz, Brian Tyree Henry, Sandra Bullock, Lady Gaga, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Michael Shannon. Moreover, Masi Oka, Logan Lerman, Andrew Koji, Bad Bunny, Hiroyuki Sanada, Karen Fukuhara, Pasha D. Lychnikoff, and Miraj Grbic are also expected to round the cast in various supporting roles. Suffice to say, this train is stacked...or, rather, it's locked and loaded.
Bullet Train Is Based On Kotaro Isaka’s Novel, Maria Beetle
First published in 2010 under its original title, Maria Beetle, Kotaro Isaka's Bullet Train is hailed as a zany, zippy satirical thriller filled with suspense and darkly amusing delights. Translated into English a decade later, the pulpy Japanese novel is expected to find a wider audience in the United States — particularly with this adaptation on the horizon.
Following five highly motivated assassins caught on a perilous train ride to grab a suitcase full of money and run like hell, it's easy to see why Sony was interested in turning this wacky premise into a thrill-a-minute blockbuster. Hopefully, that's what we'll get here. Only time will tell if this new movie is considered as entertaining as the text.
Brad Pitt Performed 95 Percent Of His Own Stunts
Through his Oscar-winning performance as Rick Dalton in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood, Brad Pitt played one of the most charismatic stuntmen to ever grace the silver screen. Now, through his starring role in David Leitch's Bullet Train, the A-list actor had the adventurous opportunity to be his very own stuntman, as Pitt performed 95 percent of his own punches, kicks, rolls, and blows in this newest movie.
Given his age and star status, it's impressive that Brad Pitt committed so deeply to this physical performance. But as his filmography shows, the famous actor-producer is very dedicated to his craft, and he wants to commit to the absolute fullest — even if it leaves him battered and bruised. Hopefully, all this hard work and dedication prove worthwhile.
Producer Kelly McCormick Claims Brad Pitt’s Bullet Train Performance Is Unlike Any Other In His Career
Over the course of his 30-plus year career, Brad Pitt has given audiences a wide variety of performances throughout a substantive resume. But if producer Kelly McCormick is to be believed, the one he gives in Bullet Train is unlike any other we've seen from him. In an interview with Collider, McCormick was quick to praise the A-list superstar, noting that Pitt's performance doesn't mirror anything else that the star has done in the past.
Highlighting the balance of humor, heart, and absurdity that the award-winning actor brings to the forefront, Kelly McCormick promises a top-notch lead turn that continues to prove the depths of Brad Pitt's accomplished talents. Here's what McCormick said:
In my opinion, this is a Brad performance that we've never seen him do before. It's light, it's fun, it's crazy, and he's having a ball, I think. And, we are too... He trained a lot. And part of it, I think, is because he's working for the guy who used to take the punches for him, so he has something to prove.
Bullet Train is scheduled to arrive on April 8th, 2022.
