George Clooney and Brad Pitt debunk $35 million payday rumours in Venice

George Clooney and Brad Pitt were reportedly set to receive $35 million each for their roles in the film "Wolfs". The actors decided to quash these rumours.

In "Wolfs," George Clooney and Brad Pitt play experts at dirty work. Someone wants them to work on the same mission – they have to cover up a mistake made by an influential New York politician, which triggers a series of strange events. Many people were surprised that although audiences can only see the film's trailers in cinemas, the streaming release date has already been announced. The film will be released in a very limited capacity in American cinemas on 20 September, and a week later, on 27 September, it will be available on Apple TV+.

"Wolfs" is unlikely to become a "box office hit." It might only shine on streaming platforms. Many were surprised by reports that the stars were set to receive astronomical sums for their participation in the film.

In August this year, "The New York Times" reported that Apple was supposed to pay the actors $35 million each and the director Jon Watts $15 million. It’s rare for stars to comment on such reports. Typically, they're true, and it’s not surprising that in the entertainment industry, the biggest stars could earn that much, especially in the golden age of streaming, where hundreds of millions are spent on new productions.

Meanwhile, during the film's premiere at the Venice Festival, Clooney unexpectedly responded to the reports about the payouts. Clooney was taken aback when the subject was mentioned during a press conference. "It was an interesting article and whatever her source was for our salary, it is millions and millions and millions of dollars less than what was reported. And I am only saying that because I think it's bad for our industry if that's what people think is the standard bearer for salaries," he said.

"It's terrible, and it could make filmmaking soon impossible," added the actor.

Clooney revealed that, alongside Pitt, they had returned part of the money when it turned out that "Wolfs" would have limited cinema distribution. They wanted to support the production so the film could still be shown in some American cinemas. "We wanted the film to be seen in theaters, but there were various obstacles," Clooney said, noting that not all productions can still enjoy good prospects after the pandemic.

It's worth mentioning that "Wolfs" is the first joint project of Pitt and Clooney since "Burn After Reading" in 2008.