George Clooney refutes report that claimed he and Brad Pitt were paid $35 million each for Wolfs

American actor and filmmaker George Clooney has addressed and refuted a recent report that he and Brad Pitt were paid $35 million each for their roles in the upcoming film Wolfs. The actor clarified this during a press conference at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, where the film had its world premiere on September 1, 2024.

"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," Clooney remarked.

He went on to express his concerns about the misinformation, saying,

"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. I think that’s terrible, it’ll make it impossible to make films."

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George Clooney shows disappointment on Wolfs' limited release

Celebrity Sightings - Day 5 - The 81st Venice International Film Festival (Source: Getty)

When attending a press conference with Brad Pitt, George Clooney addressed an article published in The New York Times on August 25, 2024, stating that both movie stars received $35 million each for the thriller. During the interview, he also expressed his disappointment with Wolfs having a limited release,

"Yes, we wanted it to be released [in theaters]," Clooney acknowledged.

The comments by George Clooney came against the backdrop of debate over the film's release. Wolfs, directed by Jon Watts, will be released in theatres only in selected U.S. cities and premiere on Apple TV+ on September 27, 2024. However, according to Clooney, who produced the film, Apple is not releasing the film to mainstream theaters, which was not good.

He shared his experience with another project, The Boys in the Boat, which faced similar distribution challenges. Initially produced for MGM, that film ultimately found a home at Amazon but missed out on a foreign release, which surprised Clooney.

These distribution issues, he said, are some of the problematic areas of the business that COVID has caused in the industry.

We’re all in this industry and we’re trying to find our way post-COVID and everything else, and so there’s some bumps along the way," he added.

Although George Clooney expressed disappointment over the limited release, he noted that Wolfs would still reach audiences in a few hundred theaters.

"It is a bummer of course, but on the other hand, a lot of people are going to see the film, and we are getting a release in a few hundred theaters, so we’re getting a release. But yeah, it would’ve been nice if we had a wide release," he said.

Wolfs stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt, who featured together in the Oceans series. In the film, the duo portrays two fixers assigned a similar mission, which brings about an exciting and comical conflict of personalities.

The film also features Amy Ryan, Poorna Jagannathan, and Austin Abrams. Clooney and Pitt are involved as producers through their companies, Smokehouse Pictures and Plan B Entertainment, respectively.

In a recent interview with GQ on August 13, 2024, George Clooney and Brad Pitt reflected on their long-standing friendship and work together on Wolfs.

"We’ve been friends for a long time," Clooney said. "And it’s fun because we also check in on each other every once in a while, which is an important part of this." Pitt echoed these sentiments, saying, "I know he’s got my back. I got his back."

Wolfs is planned for a limited theatrical release on September 20, 2024, and will premiere on Apple TV+ on September 27, 2024.