At 70, This Iconic Actor Joins Brad Pitt in a Blockbuster Adventure Thriller!

As reported by Deadline, J.K. Simmons has signed on to star in Paramount Pictures’ “Heart of the Beast,” directed by David Ayer and featuring Brad Pitt. This marks the second collaboration between the Oscar-winning actor from “Whiplash” and David Ayer since the 2005 crime drama “Harsh Times,” starring Christian Bale. It will also be Simmons’ third film with Brad Pitt, following “The Mexican” in 2001 and the 2008 Coen Brothers comedy “Burn After Reading,” which also starred George Clooney and Frances McDormand.

“Heart of the Beast” will depict the story of a former Special Forces soldier and his retired combat dog struggling to survive following a plane crash in the harsh wilderness of Alaska.

Cameron Alexander wrote the screenplay and will serve as the executive producer. Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton are also producing the movie under their Wild Chickens Productions banner as part of their first deal with the studio. Other producers include Ayer through his Crave Films, Temple Hill Entertainment, and two-time Oscar winner Brad Pitt through his Plan B company.

In 2015, J.K. Simmons won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award for his role as a stern music teacher in Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” opposite Miles Teller.

Simmons is also well-known for his portrayal of J. Jonah Jameson in the Spider-Man films by Sam Raimi and Jon Watts. His other major films include “La La Land,” “Juno,” the Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans Christmas movie “Red One,” and Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos,” where he played William Frawley, earning him his second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

“Heart of the Beast” is currently in pre-production and has not yet been given a release date.

In the meantime, you can catch J.K. Simmons in projects like “Red One” on Prime Video, “The Union” on Netflix, or “Juror #2” available on VOD.