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The sequel toWolfs,which starred Brad Pitt and George Clooney, has been officially canceled by Apple TV+. This is the end of an ambitious project that was first hailed as a big hit for thestreamingservice.
The original movie didn’t do well at the box office or with critics, even though it starred a famous pair and had a record-breaking$200 millionbudget.
The sudden change from theatres to streaming caused more debate, and the film’s director, Jon Watts, became unhappy with Apple’s creative choices.
Keep reading to know more details.
Wolfs: The Rise and Fall of a Record-Breaking Project
It’s become one of the most talked-about fails in entertainment thatWolfssequel with Brad Pitt and George Clooney could not be made.
Wolfswas meant to be a groundbreaking show for Apple TV+. It was directed by Jon Watts, who is best known for his work on theSpider-Manseries.
The project was huge from the start; it was said to have cost more than $200 million and be the most expensive TV movie ever made.
It was originally planned for the movie to open in a lot of theatres, but on September 27, 2024, it aired onAppleTV+ after only one week in theatres in the U.S.
This was a big change for Apple. It was said that the choice was affected by the fact that expensive films likeNapoleonand Killers of the Flower Moon did not do well at thebox office.
Wolfs got terrible reviews, even though people had high hopes for it. Many critics didn’t like the movie because it had a weak story, a script that wasn’t finished, and relied too much on the star power of its leads.
It was called a “slick student film from a rich teen” by IGN and a “shallow comedy with little substance” by The Guardian.
The project’s momentum had been boosted by Pitt and Clooney’s presence. It was said that each of them made$35 millionfor their parts, though Clooney later denied this, saying that their fees were “many millions below” that amount.
The movie was expected to do well because of the two actors’ charm and their past work together, especially in the Ocean’s Eleven series.
Their charm on screen, though, couldn’t make up for the shallowness of the story. Wolf turned out to be more of an ego project than a great movie in the end.
The decision to cancelWolf’ssequel did not rest solely on financial failures. Director Jon Watts, once poised to helm the follow-up, revealed his reasons for stepping away.
Speaking to Deadline, Watts shared his frustration with Apple’s abrupt decision to shift the film from a theatrical release to streaming.
This move was reportedly made without consulting him, and he only learned of the change a week before it was publicly announced.
Despite initial enthusiasm from Apple, Watts expressed disappointment in their handling of the project and returned the money advanced for the sequel.
“The truth is that Apple didn’t cancel the Wolf’s sequel—I did,” Watts stated. “I no longer trusted them as a creative partner.”
He emphasized his pride in the original film and praised the cast, which includedAmy Ryan,Austin Abrams, andPoorna Jagannathan, in addition to Pitt and Clooney.
Nevertheless, the strained relationship with Apple overshadowed his positive experience with the team.
The cancellation of the sequel highlighted the ongoing tension between filmmakers and streaming platforms.
Apple’s pivot mirrored similar controversies, such asDoug Liman’sfallout withAmazonover Road House.
These disputes underscore the challenges of balancing the artistic vision of directors with the financial strategies of streaming services.
As Watts pointed out, streaming economics are still evolving, and platforms like Apple and Amazon are experimenting with different approaches to maximize viewership and profitability.
Wolfs rise and fall show the issues the entertainment business has now that everything is available online.
Apple took a risk by limiting the movie’s release in theatres and putting streaming first. It did not pay off.
It costs a lot for streaming services like Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ to get movies, but they also want to make as much money as possible from them.
He said it was a “bummer” to think about what took place. He agreed that the streaming business was tough, but he was still sure that there was a way out. “It’s being looked into,” he said.
They need a company like Sony or Warner Bros. that has been around for 100 years, while we need companies like Apple and Amazon.
His words shed light on the talks that are still going on between standard businesses and streaming services. Both are trying to figure out where they fit in a world that is changing quickly.
That’s what Jon Watts learned about how to stop artistic direction. Even though Wolf had success with Marvel, he showed how hard it is to work with streaming services that put making money ahead of working together on art.
Apple said that the movie did well, which means that more work could be done in the future.
What I want to know is how companies measure success now that box office numbers aren’t the only way to see how well a movie did.
Wolfs is a good example of how big stars and big budgets don’t always mean success.
Why did the movie not do well? It shows how important it is for the creative idea and the audience standards to match up. This is a lesson that Hollywood and its online rivals need to keep learning.
Wolfs Movie.
Key Facts AboutWolfsand Its Sequel
Aspect
Details
Main Stars
Brad Pitt, George Clooney
Budget
$200 million
Initial Release
September 27, 2024
Sequel Announcement
August 2024
Cancellation Reason
Creative differences, poor original reception
Key Facts AboutWolfsand Its Sequel
Conclusion
The fact that Wolf’s sequel was canceled shows a bigger problem in the changing entertainment landscape, where streaming services and traditional movies are coming together.
Even though it had a huge $200 million budget and stars like Brad Pitt and George Clooney, the movie didn’t live up to its high hopes.
This shows how hard it is to turn Hollywood star power into streaming success.
Director Jon Watts’s dissatisfaction with Apple TV+ shows that directors and streaming giants are still at odds over creative control and how to distribute content.
The film probably didn’t do well at the box office or with critics because it was changed at the last minute from a wide theatrical release to a limited run in theatres and an immediate streaming debut.
The original Wolf project had some good points, like well-known actors, an interesting idea, and a lot of money behind it, but it failed in the end because the plot wasn’t consistent, reviews were mixed, and it was meant to be watched online first.
This experience should be used as a warning for future teamwork, stressing the need for fair partnerships and more consistent stories to succeed in a field that is changing quickly.
Last Updated: November 28, 2024
