J.K. Simmons is teaming up once again with director David Ayer and actor Brad Pitt for Heart of the Beast, marking their second collaboration after the 2005 crime drama Harsh Times. This also marks Simmons’ third time starring in a Pitt film, following The Mexican (2001) and Burn After Reading (2008), a comedy by the Coen brothers.
Heart of the Beast centers on a former Army Special Forces soldier and his retired combat dog, who fight for survival after a plane crashes in the harsh Alaskan wilderness. The film’s script was written by Cameron Alexander, who will also serve as an executive producer.
The project is being produced by Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton through their Wild Chickens Productions, part of their first-look deal with Paramount. Other producers include Ayer’s Crave Films banner, Temple Hill Entertainment, and Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment. Richard Raymond will co-produce the film.
Simmons, who won an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and SAG Award for his role in Whiplash (2014), is also known for playing J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man franchise. His other notable credits include La La Land, Juno, Red One (starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans), and Being the Ricardos, in which he portrayed William Frawley and earned a second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
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