Brad Pitt to Star in ‘Connector’ at Apple

Apple Original Films has landed “Connector,” a new feature that will star Academy Award-winner Brad Pitt (“F1,” “Heart of the Beast,” upcoming “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth”), who will also serve as producer for Plan B, the company announced Thursday. The project is set to be directed by Academy Award-nominee Darius Marder (“Sound of Metal”). “Connector” is a 1970s’ NYC epic about a working class legend, a sky-walking ironworker who takes on forces larger than himself. Apple Studios will serve as the studio, and Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner will produce for Plan B. Marder will also serve as producer. The film is co-written by Marder, whose debut narrative feature “Sound of Metal” earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, and won Oscars for Best Sound and Best Film Editing. Darius co-wrote “Sound of Metal” with his sibling Nina Marder, from a story with Derek Cianfrance. Darius also previously co-wrote “The Place Beyond the Pines,” which earned him a Penn Literary award in 2014. The project marks the latest collaboration for Apple Original Films and Plan B following the record-breaking and Academy Award-winning “F1,” which became the highest-grossing sports feature of all time following its release last year, and received a Best Picture nomination. Apple Original Films will also soon release a new Mark Wahlberg-led feature, produced by Plan B, and written and directed by Stephen Chbosky. Additionally, it was recently announced that Apple Original Films landed “The Waffle House Index” with Plan B attached to produce and Inde Navarrette (“Obsession,” upcoming “X Men” film) attached to star in the lead role. Pitt is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners. Marder is repped by CAA, 42 and Greg Slewett at JSSK. Deadline first reported the news.