Brad Pittis back on track — both figuratively and literally. With buzz for his upcoming Formula 1 movie,F1, reaching critical mass, another one of his fast-paced thrill rides is speeding back into the spotlight.Bullet Train, Pitt’s 2022 action-comedy directed byDavid Leitch(Deadpool 2), is now sitting comfortably at #9 on HBO Max’s U.S. Top 10 movies chart, according to FlixPatrol. Though the film received a lukewarm 54% score from critics onRotten Tomatoes, it won over a broader audience and is now experiencing a streaming resurgence as fans revisit Pitt’s turn as a reluctant assassin with averybad luck streak.
The renewed interest inBullet Trainis no coincidence. As Pitt gears up for the global premiere ofF1— the adrenaline-fueled racing drama fromTop Gun: MaverickdirectorJoseph Kosinski— it’s only natural that audiences are revisiting his recent action-heavy roles.Bullet Trainearned over $239 million at the global box office during its original release, and while it was divisive critically, audiences gave it a76% approval ratingand two People’s Choice Award nominations for Movie of 2022 and Action Movie of 2022.
Set almost entirely aboard a high-speed Japanese bullet train, the movie follows Pitt’s unlucky assassin, Ladybug, who just wants a peaceful assignment. Naturally, things go off the rails fast as a carousel of colorful killers — played by the likes ofMichael Shannon,Aaron Taylor-Johnson,Brian Tyree Henry, andJoey King— clash in a violent web of mistaken identity, stolen suitcases, and wild plot twists. Uncredited cameos fromChanning TatumandRyan Reynoldsonly add to the film’s chaotic, comic energy.
What Is ‘F1’ About?
As forF1, it’s already being heralded as one of the summer’s most exciting releases. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and co-written withEhren Kruger,the film stars Pitt as Sonny Hayes, a former F1 driver lured back to the track to mentor a rising star played bySnowfall’sDamson Idris. With a supporting cast that includesJavier Bardem, Kerry Condon, and Tobias Menzies, and real-life F1 legendLewis Hamiltonas a producer,F1is being positioned as the nextgreat high-octane spectacle. From scenes filmed during real races to painstaking attention to detail (“You wouldn’t be in second gear in that turn,” Hamilton reportedly told the team),F1is aiming to do for racing whatTop Gun: Maverickdid for fighter jets.
you may catchBullet Trainnow streaming on HBO Max, and buckle up forF1, premiering globally on June 25 and hitting North American theaters June 27.
Bullet Train
Packing a stellar cast with the likes of Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Zazie Beetz, David Leitch’s Bullet Train tells the story of an assassin for hire who bumps into multiple dangerous criminals aboard a high-speed Shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Kyoto. The 2022 action comedy is an adaptation of Kōtarō Isaka’s novel “Maria Beetle”.
