From Variety: “Topher Grace will star opposite Brad Pitt in Netflix’s upcoming satirical comedy “War Machine.”

Grace will portray a civilian media adviser to Pitt’s four-star U.S. military general, who’s trying to win the war in Afghanistan. “War Machine” is directed by David Michod (“Animal Kingdom”) and based on Michael Hastings’ book “The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America’s War in Afghanistan.”

Michod also wrote the script for the film, which will be produced by Pitt and his Plan B partners Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, along with Ian Bryce (“World War Z”).

Netflix bought the distribution rights in June in its highest-profile deal to date. The Netflix original film will be available in theaters and to Netflix subscribers in 2016.”

From Variety: “Netflix has nabbed distribution rights to Brad Pitt’s “War Machine.”

The satirical comedy, directed by David Michôd (“Animal Kingdom”) and based on Michael Hastings’ bestselling book “The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America’s War in Afghanistan,” marks the biggest film acquisition to date for the streaming service.

Michôd also wrote the film, which will be produced by Pitt and his Plan B partners Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, along with Ian Bryce (“World War Z”).

“We are so excited to be a part of the inspiring commitment by Netflix to produce cutting-edge content and to deliver it to a global audience,” Pitt said in a press release.

“I’m humbled to be making a big, bold movie about the whole sprawling, complex, cumbersome and crazy machinery of modern war and the many lives it touches,” Michôd added.

“War Machine” follows Pitt, a four-star U.S. military general, patterned after Gen. Stanley McChrystal, determined to win the “impossible” war in Afghanistan.

“War Machine is a rip-roaring, behind-the-facade tale of modern war decision-makers, from the corridors of power to the distant regions of America’s ambitions,“ Netflix COO Ted Sarandos said. “Brad and David are a perfect team to make this timely, compelling and entertaining film.”

The Netflix original film will be available in theaters and to Netflix subscribers in 2016.”

From Variety: “Paramount Pictures has set a June 9, 2017, release date for the sequel to “World War Z.”

Variety reported a year ago that the studio had hired Steven Knight to write the sequel, which is co-financed by Skydance. J.A. Bayona (“The Impossible”) will direct the zombie tentpole with Brad Pitt returning in the starring role.

Plot details for the film, based on Max Brooks’ novel, have been kept under wraps. Pitt will produce the tentpole alongside Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner for Plan B.

“World War Z,” directed by Marc Forster, earned more than $540 million worldwide in 2013 and became the highest-grossing film of Pitt’s career.

The sequel is the second title dated for June 9, 2017. Fox has also set “Fantastic Four 2″ for the same date.”

From Variety: “Universal Pictures has set Angelina Jolie’s “By the Sea,” in which she co-stars with husband Brad Pitt, for an awards-season launch on Nov. 13 in the U.S.

International releases will be built around the date. “By the Sea” marks the first time Jolie and Pitt have been in a film together since “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” a decade ago.

Jolie directed “By the Sea” from her own script. The film also stars Mélanie Laurent, Niels Arestrup, Melvil Poupaud and Richard Bohringer. Pitt portrays an American writer who arrives with his wife (Jolie) in a tranquil and picturesque seaside resort in 1970s France with their marriage in apparent crisis. Laurent and Poupand portray newlyweds.

The studio said “By the Sea” is inspired by European cinema and theater of the ’60s and ’70s. Jolie and Pitt are the producers; Chris Brigham, Holly Goline (“Unbroken”) and Michael Vieira (“Unbroken”) are exec producing.

“This is a story about a relationship derailed by loss, the tenacity of love, and the path to recovery and acceptance,” said Jolie. “It has been a privilege to explore these universal human experiences with such a generous and talented cast and crew.”

It’s the third directing gig for Jolie following “In the Land of Blood and Honey” and “Unbroken.”

“By the Sea” will open against Warner Bros.’ mining rescue drama “The 33,” Open Road’s Bill Murray comedy “Rock the Kasbah” and Paramount’s horror vehicle “Rings.””

From Variety: “Brad Pitt will star in an untitled romantic thriller for Paramount with Robert Zemeckis directing from a Steve Knight script.

Graham King, who developed the project, is producing alongside Zemeckis and Steve Starkey. The project will be produced through King’s GK Films banner with New Regency. Executive producers are Jack Rapke, Knight, Patrick McCormick and Denis O’Sullivan.

The logline for Knight’s script is being kept under wraps.

Pitt was last seen in “Fury” and recently finished filming “By the Sea” with spouse Angelina Jolie, who’s starring and directing.

Zemeckis’ directing credits at Paramount include 1994’s “Forrest Gump” and 2012’s “Flight.” He is in post-production on “The Walk,” starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Philippe Petit as he crossed the Twin Towers on a tightrope, which is set for an October release from Sony.

King and Knight are also partnered on the action-thriller “The Red Circle,” a remake of the French film “Le Cercle Rouge,” reset in Hong Kong. Knight wrote the script and is producing under GK Films.

Knight’s credits include “The Hundred-Foot Journey” and “Dirty Pretty Things.”He also directed Tom Hardy in “Locke.”

King produced “Rango” and “The Departed.””

From Variety: “Marion Cotillard is in negotiations to co-star with Brad Pitt in Paramount, New Regency and Graham King’s untitled period spy thriller.

Robert Zemeckis is directing the pic from a script by Steven Knight.

King, who first developed the project and brought it to Pitt, will produce alongside Zemeckis and Steve Starkey. The project will be produced through King’s GK Films banner with New Regency. Executive producers are Knight, Jack Rapke, Patrick McCormick and Denis O’Sullivan.

The logline for Knight’s script is being kept under wraps.

The pairing of Pitt and Cotillard was almost not meant to be as the shoot date for this movie did not initially work with Cotillard’s schedule. She will next shoot the Fox and New Regency action pic “Assassin’s Creed” with Michael Fassbender.

Production for “Assassin’s Creed” begins at the end of the summer and would have overlapped with the Pitt film, which was originally intended to shoot in the fall.

Zemeckis and Pitt asked the studio if production could be pushed so Zemeckis could do press for his TriStar biopic “The Walk” this fall, while Pitt plans to squeeze in the satirical military comedy “War Machine,” which Netflix just acquired for distribution.

Production moved to the first quarter of 2016, allowing Cotillard to join Pitt in the film.

She most recently finished shooting “Macbeth” alongside Fassbender, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She is repped by CAA and Agence Adequat.

Deadline Hollywood first reported the news.”

From Variety: “Following the success of “Moneyball,” Brad Pitt and his Plan B shingle have assembled an all-star cast for the next adaptation of a Michael Lewis bestseller.

Sources tell Variety that Pitt, Christian Bale and Ryan Gosling have come on board to star in “The Big Short,” Paramount and Plan B’s adaptation “The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine,” which Adam McKay is writing and directing.

Lewis’ nonfiction tome tells the story of the build-up of the housing and credit bubble during the 2000s that led to the financial crisis of 2007-2010. Paramount had no comment.

Pitt will produce with DeDe Gardner through their Plan B banner. Production start date is unknown.

The book follows several key people who played a role in creating the disastrous credit bubble. The feature adaptation will likely feature several A-list actors who have similiar-sized roles, similar to the cast of “Traffic” or “The Counselor.”

As with “Moneyball,” Pitt has been very passionate about getting this adaptation onto the bigscreen.

His Plan B company has built a reputation for serious dramas that tackle important issues, with “12 Years a Slave” landing last year’s best picture Oscar and “Selma” deep in the Oscar race this year.

Pitt, who is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment, was last seen in “Fury.” The WME-repped Bale was last seen in “Exodus: Gods and Kings” and will shoot the Travis McGee pic “The Deep Blue Goodby” this spring.

Gosling just wrapped production on the Warner Bros. thriller “The Nice Guys.” He is repped by Anonymous Content and LBI Entertainment.”

From The Hollywood Reporter: “Among new offerings internationally, David Ayer’s World War II war pic Fury, starring Brad Pitt, rolled out in its first 15 markets, grossing a solid $11.2 million, including a No. 1 finish in the U.K. with $4.2 million. Sony partnered with QED International on the film, which took in another $13 million in North America for a 10-day global total of $57.3 million.”

There’s a feature on Fury and Brad in the October 2014 issue of F*** magazine and scans have been added to the photo gallery.

Magazines > 2014 > F***

There’s a feature on Fury in the November 2014 issue of Empire magazine and scans have been added to the photo gallery.

Magazines > 2014 > Empire