News Analysis India

Tag: Bullet Train

  • Land acquisition completed for bullet train project except Godrej & Boyce plot: Maha govt to HC

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday informed the Bombay High Court that the land acquisition process on the entire line of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has been completed except the plot owned by Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co Ltd at suburban Vikhroli.

    The state government and the company are embroiled in a legal dispute since 2019 over the acquisition of the company-owned land in Vikhroli for the bullet train project.

    Of the total 508.17 km of rail track between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, about 21 km is to be underground.

    One of the entry points to the underground tunnel falls on the land at Vikhroli (owned by Godrej).

    The company had last month filed a petition challenging an order passed by the Maharashtra government on September 15 awarding compensation to it for land acquisition for the bullet train project.

    On Monday, a division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and S G Dige said it would commence hearing on the petition on December 5.

    Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, appearing for the state government, said the matter was urgent as the project is being held up.

    “The entire land required for the project is from Mumbai to Ahmedabad. The entire acquisition of land has been completed except for this patch (owned by Godrej),” Kumbhakoni said.

    He sought that the court begin hearing on the plea at the earliest, as the state government has completed all formalities for acquisition and now only taking possession of the land remains.

    Godrej’s land was the only portion which was not in the state’s possession, and all the other land has already been acquired, Kumbhakoni said.

    On Monday, the company also filed an application seeking disclosures from the state government of all documents and records it had relied upon while deciding which plot of land was best suitable to be acquired for the project.

    Earlier, the state government and the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) had claimed that Godrej & Boyce was creating unnecessary hurdles and impediments in the land acquisition process and was hence delaying the project.

    This allegation was refuted by the company, which claimed that the land acquisition proceedings were “illegal and bad in law.”

    This would be the country’s first bullet train and would run at a maximum speed of Rs 350 lm per hour, covering the stretch between the two cities in under three hours from the usual seven.

    MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government on Monday informed the Bombay High Court that the land acquisition process on the entire line of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has been completed except the plot owned by Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co Ltd at suburban Vikhroli.

    The state government and the company are embroiled in a legal dispute since 2019 over the acquisition of the company-owned land in Vikhroli for the bullet train project.

    Of the total 508.17 km of rail track between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, about 21 km is to be underground.

    One of the entry points to the underground tunnel falls on the land at Vikhroli (owned by Godrej).

    The company had last month filed a petition challenging an order passed by the Maharashtra government on September 15 awarding compensation to it for land acquisition for the bullet train project.

    On Monday, a division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and S G Dige said it would commence hearing on the petition on December 5.

    Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, appearing for the state government, said the matter was urgent as the project is being held up.

    “The entire land required for the project is from Mumbai to Ahmedabad. The entire acquisition of land has been completed except for this patch (owned by Godrej),” Kumbhakoni said.

    He sought that the court begin hearing on the plea at the earliest, as the state government has completed all formalities for acquisition and now only taking possession of the land remains.

    Godrej’s land was the only portion which was not in the state’s possession, and all the other land has already been acquired, Kumbhakoni said.

    On Monday, the company also filed an application seeking disclosures from the state government of all documents and records it had relied upon while deciding which plot of land was best suitable to be acquired for the project.

    Earlier, the state government and the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) had claimed that Godrej & Boyce was creating unnecessary hurdles and impediments in the land acquisition process and was hence delaying the project.

    This allegation was refuted by the company, which claimed that the land acquisition proceedings were “illegal and bad in law.”

    This would be the country’s first bullet train and would run at a maximum speed of Rs 350 lm per hour, covering the stretch between the two cities in under three hours from the usual seven.

  • Delhi-Varanasi bullet train project hits roadblock, Railway Board rejects feasibility report 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The proposed high-speed railway corridor between Delhi and Varanasi has hit a roadblock with the Railway Board rejecting the feasibility report on the project citing multiple curves along the route which will not be suitable for a bullet train to run at 350 kmph, sources said.

    The sources indicated that the decision was taken at a meeting held by Railway Board Secretary R N Singh last week to review the bullet train project.

    The feasibility study report was presented by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).

    In a statement, the railways, however, said a decision on the feasibility report of the Delhi-Varanasi bullet train project is yet to be taken.

    “It is hereby informed that no decision has yet been taken on the DPR (detailed project report) of the said bullet train project and project is still under consideration,” it also said.

    The feasibility report proposed the corridor be built along the National Highway-2. It said this will help in the acquisition of land at cheaper rates and reducing the cost of construction.

    However, the technical issue which led to the outright rejection of the proposal was that NH-2 had curved sections at many places between Delhi and Varanasi, which would make it highly dangerous for a train to run at 350 kilometre per hour, a source present in the meeting said.

    “To run a bullet train at a speed of 350 kmph, the track of high-speed corridor should be straight,” the source said.

    While NHSRCL is keen on beginning the work on the project, the Railway Board is wary, especially considering the delays and roadblocks in the ongoing bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

    Due to the delays, sources said, the estimated cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project is set to reach Rs 1.50 lakh crore .

    Officials said around Rs 200 crore is being spent per kilometre to build the high-speed corridor.

    The Railway Board has suggested that for now, the focus should be on running only semi-high speed Vade Bharat trains at a speed of 160-200 kmph.

    Officials said around 400 such trains will be available over the next three years and can be used on different routes.

    NEW DELHI: The proposed high-speed railway corridor between Delhi and Varanasi has hit a roadblock with the Railway Board rejecting the feasibility report on the project citing multiple curves along the route which will not be suitable for a bullet train to run at 350 kmph, sources said.

    The sources indicated that the decision was taken at a meeting held by Railway Board Secretary R N Singh last week to review the bullet train project.

    The feasibility study report was presented by the National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL).

    In a statement, the railways, however, said a decision on the feasibility report of the Delhi-Varanasi bullet train project is yet to be taken.

    “It is hereby informed that no decision has yet been taken on the DPR (detailed project report) of the said bullet train project and project is still under consideration,” it also said.

    The feasibility report proposed the corridor be built along the National Highway-2. It said this will help in the acquisition of land at cheaper rates and reducing the cost of construction.

    However, the technical issue which led to the outright rejection of the proposal was that NH-2 had curved sections at many places between Delhi and Varanasi, which would make it highly dangerous for a train to run at 350 kilometre per hour, a source present in the meeting said.

    “To run a bullet train at a speed of 350 kmph, the track of high-speed corridor should be straight,” the source said.

    While NHSRCL is keen on beginning the work on the project, the Railway Board is wary, especially considering the delays and roadblocks in the ongoing bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

    Due to the delays, sources said, the estimated cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad project is set to reach Rs 1.50 lakh crore .

    Officials said around Rs 200 crore is being spent per kilometre to build the high-speed corridor.

    The Railway Board has suggested that for now, the focus should be on running only semi-high speed Vade Bharat trains at a speed of 160-200 kmph.

    Officials said around 400 such trains will be available over the next three years and can be used on different routes.

  • INTERVIEW | ‘Went stir-crazy in lockdown’: Hollywood actor Brad Pitt

    Express News Service

    What was your reaction when you were pitched Bullet Train?I like to think of it as the perfect movie for right now. It’s a great heist movie with really funny stuff happening. We have an amazing cast, which I was very happy to be asked to work with at a time when not many people were able to work. I felt very lucky to be a part of it.

    Would you say this movie saved you during lockdown?Sure. Like everyone, I went a little stir-crazy, got a little depressed and went a little bit cuckoo during that whole time, so when (director) David Leitch came to me with this, I couldn’t wait to get going. The script came along at that really dark period of lockdown, before we knew how we were going to get out of it, and it was just so damn funny. It had so many great parts, which meant we could attract a great cast. It just seemed perfect for that time, and I’m really happy the movie came out at a time when the streets are open again and we can be around each other.

    Bullet Train includes some great action scenes. Did you enjoy that?Yeah. David comes from the stunt world, so he understands that stuff very well. He was my stunt double back in ’98. We met while making Fight Club and he trained me for the fights. It worked so well that we went on with that pairing with a bunch of other films until about 2004 and then he left me to do other things. Now he’s a big-time director and it’s come back full-circle. It’s really nice for me to have him as the boss now.

    Your character talks a lot about luck and fate. What is your personal take on these topics?I do like that in this really funny film, there is this undercurrent message of how we are all agents of fate in some way. I argue with myself a lot about how much is fate and how much is personal will and manifestation, or however you want to define it. I think they’re both at play, but only because I don’t have a better answer.

    Did you miss the red-carpet premieres and all the hype that comes with a big release like this?No, not in that way. I didn’t realise that it had been three years because we were in lockdown and so we hadn’t brought anything to the table in a while. At the same time, it was nice to put everything we had into this story and that it came together, because the planets really have to align for a movie to be good. We’re really proud of this one and now it’s nice to let people finally see it.

    Was there a new experience while making this movie?We pulled this whole thing off on one soundstage and it took technical mastery of the latest equipment to be able to do it. That was really exciting. But I just can’t say enough about that time. We were all kind of losing it, so to be able to get to work, have a laugh and know that we were bringing something that is going to be nice for everyone was really the prevailing theme. That will always resonate with me.

    There were reports that you might retire from acting and then you made Bullet Train.That’s not what I said… not what I meant, at least. I think I described it as being on the last leg of the journey. I was talking about going from being a young adult to middle-age and how it feels like I’m going from middle-age to what I called the last leg. I didn’t mean I was retiring or anything like that.

    Does getting older worry you?Everyone has to contend with getting older. There’s a time when you’ve just got to let go and accept it. So, do I worry about getting older? No.

    You mentioned working with David Leitch when he was your stunt-double for Fight Club. How do you look back at that time and that film now?Fight Club is one of my favourites. I’m very proud of that movie. It was the most fun and working with Fincher (director of Fight Club) was an incredible experience. Making that movie made me realise that it’s the people I’m working with that matters more than anything else.

    How do you pick your projects now?Same as always. I’m looking for something new, something that I haven’t explored before, something that feels fresh and is in a new direction. As I say, more than anything, as I get older, it’s about the company I keep and the people I get to work with, and variety.

    What was your reaction when you were pitched Bullet Train?
    I like to think of it as the perfect movie for right now. It’s a great heist movie with really funny stuff happening. We have an amazing cast, which I was very happy to be asked to work with at a time when not many people were able to work. I felt very lucky to be a part of it.

    Would you say this movie saved you during lockdown?
    Sure. Like everyone, I went a little stir-crazy, got a little depressed and went a little bit cuckoo during that whole time, so when (director) David Leitch came to me with this, I couldn’t wait to get going. The script came along at that really dark period of lockdown, before we knew how we were going to get out of it, and it was just so damn funny. It had so many great parts, which meant we could attract a great cast. It just seemed perfect for that time, and I’m really happy the movie came out at a time when the streets are open again and we can be around each other.

    Bullet Train includes some great action scenes. Did you enjoy that?
    Yeah. David comes from the stunt world, so he understands that stuff very well. He was my stunt double back in ’98. We met while making Fight Club and he trained me for the fights. It worked so well that we went on with that pairing with a bunch of other films until about 2004 and then he left me to do other things. Now he’s a big-time director and it’s come back full-circle. It’s really nice for me to have him as the boss now.

    Your character talks a lot about luck and fate. What is your personal take on these topics?
    I do like that in this really funny film, there is this undercurrent message of how we are all agents of fate in some way. I argue with myself a lot about how much is fate and how much is personal will and manifestation, or however you want to define it. I think they’re both at play, but only because I don’t have a better answer.

    Did you miss the red-carpet premieres and all the hype that comes with a big release like this?
    No, not in that way. I didn’t realise that it had been three years because we were in lockdown and so we hadn’t brought anything to the table in a while. At the same time, it was nice to put everything we had into this story and that it came together, because the planets really have to align for a movie to be good. We’re really proud of this one and now it’s nice to let people finally see it.

    Was there a new experience while making this movie?
    We pulled this whole thing off on one soundstage and it took technical mastery of the latest equipment to be able to do it. That was really exciting. But I just can’t say enough about that time. We were all kind of losing it, so to be able to get to work, have a laugh and know that we were bringing something that is going to be nice for everyone was really the prevailing theme. That will always resonate with me.

    There were reports that you might retire from acting and then you made Bullet Train.
    That’s not what I said… not what I meant, at least. I think I described it as being on the last leg of the journey. I was talking about going from being a young adult to middle-age and how it feels like I’m going from middle-age to what I called the last leg. I didn’t mean I was retiring or anything like that.

    Does getting older worry you?
    Everyone has to contend with getting older. There’s a time when you’ve just got to let go and accept it. So, do I worry about getting older? No.

    You mentioned working with David Leitch when he was your stunt-double for Fight Club. How do you look back at that time and that film now?
    Fight Club is one of my favourites. I’m very proud of that movie. It was the most fun and working with Fincher (director of Fight Club) was an incredible experience. Making that movie made me realise that it’s the people I’m working with that matters more than anything else.

    How do you pick your projects now?
    Same as always. I’m looking for something new, something that I haven’t explored before, something that feels fresh and is in a new direction. As I say, more than anything, as I get older, it’s about the company I keep and the people I get to work with, and variety.

  • ‘Bullet Train’ repeats No. 1; ‘Top Gun’ flies back up ranks

    By Associated Press

    NEW YORK: The Brad Pitt action film “Bullet Train” led all movies in ticket sales for a second straight weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, while a quiet spell in theaters and incredible staying power allowed “Top Gun: Maverick” to rocket back into third place in its 12th week of release.

    After launching the previous weekend with about $30 million at the box office, “Bullet Train” pulled in $13.4 million in its second go-around. David Leitch’s assassin-crowded film, made for $90 million, has grossed $54.4 million in two weeks for Sony Pictures. Globally, “Bullet Train” has grossed $114.5 million.

    Three new films went into wide release but none cracked the top five films. The slowdown — an expected but still acute late-summer downturn in big releases — gave plenty of airspace for the year’s biggest movie, “Maverick,” to make another fly-by in theaters.

    Nearly three months after opening in May, Paramount Pictures put the “Top Gun” sequel back on a number of large-format screens and increased its theater count from 2,760 to 3,181. It came away with $7.2 million, bringing its cumulative total to $673.8 million. Paramount’s biggest smash ever, “Maverick” sits at seventh all-time in domestic box office, not accounting for inflation, right above “Titanic” and just below “Avengers: Infinity War.”

    The uncommonly long run for “Top Gun: Maverick” is even rarer at a time when studios have shrunk theatrical windows, typically sending movies to streaming services after about 45 days in theaters.

    “Top Gun: Maverick” was very narrowly edged for second place by Warner Bros.′ “DC League of Super-Pets.” Warner Bros. estimated Sunday that its animated movie took in $7.17 million in its third week of release, just a nose above the $7.15 million for “Maverick.” Final figures Monday should break the near-tie.

    But while “Top Gun: Maverick” has been a boon to theaters recovering from the pandemic, the thinly scheduled dog days of August — and potentially a chunk of September — will pose a test to the industry. This weekend, the biggest new film in nationwide theaters was A24′s “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” a Gen Z horror comedy that expanded to 1,269 locations after last week’s opening in limited release. It came in eighth with $3.3 million.

    Lionsgate’s “The Fall,” about two friends stranded atop a 2,000-foot radio tower, debuted with $2.5 million. Diane Keaton’s body-swap comedy “Mack & Rita” opened with just $1 million in ticket sales for Gravitas Ventures.

    In overall sales it was the lowest ticket-selling weekend of the summer. With few new wide releases on tap — including two Idris Elba titles: the safari thriller “Beast” (Aug. 19) and George Miller’s “Three Thousand Years of Longing” (Aug. 26) — moviegoing is likely to slow further in the coming weeks.

    Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

    1. “Bullet Train,” $13.4 million.

    2. “DC League of Super-Pets,” $7.2 million

    3. “Top Gun: Maverick,” $7.2 million.

    4. “Thor: Love and Thunder,” $5.3 million.

    5. “Nope,” $5.3 million.

    6. “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” $4.9 million.

    7. “Where the Crawdads Sing,” $4 million.

    8. “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” $3.3 million.

    9. “Elvis,” $2.6 million.

    10. “Fall,” $2.5 million.

    NEW YORK: The Brad Pitt action film “Bullet Train” led all movies in ticket sales for a second straight weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, while a quiet spell in theaters and incredible staying power allowed “Top Gun: Maverick” to rocket back into third place in its 12th week of release.

    After launching the previous weekend with about $30 million at the box office, “Bullet Train” pulled in $13.4 million in its second go-around. David Leitch’s assassin-crowded film, made for $90 million, has grossed $54.4 million in two weeks for Sony Pictures. Globally, “Bullet Train” has grossed $114.5 million.

    Three new films went into wide release but none cracked the top five films. The slowdown — an expected but still acute late-summer downturn in big releases — gave plenty of airspace for the year’s biggest movie, “Maverick,” to make another fly-by in theaters.

    Nearly three months after opening in May, Paramount Pictures put the “Top Gun” sequel back on a number of large-format screens and increased its theater count from 2,760 to 3,181. It came away with $7.2 million, bringing its cumulative total to $673.8 million. Paramount’s biggest smash ever, “Maverick” sits at seventh all-time in domestic box office, not accounting for inflation, right above “Titanic” and just below “Avengers: Infinity War.”

    The uncommonly long run for “Top Gun: Maverick” is even rarer at a time when studios have shrunk theatrical windows, typically sending movies to streaming services after about 45 days in theaters.

    “Top Gun: Maverick” was very narrowly edged for second place by Warner Bros.′ “DC League of Super-Pets.” Warner Bros. estimated Sunday that its animated movie took in $7.17 million in its third week of release, just a nose above the $7.15 million for “Maverick.” Final figures Monday should break the near-tie.

    But while “Top Gun: Maverick” has been a boon to theaters recovering from the pandemic, the thinly scheduled dog days of August — and potentially a chunk of September — will pose a test to the industry. This weekend, the biggest new film in nationwide theaters was A24′s “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” a Gen Z horror comedy that expanded to 1,269 locations after last week’s opening in limited release. It came in eighth with $3.3 million.

    Lionsgate’s “The Fall,” about two friends stranded atop a 2,000-foot radio tower, debuted with $2.5 million. Diane Keaton’s body-swap comedy “Mack & Rita” opened with just $1 million in ticket sales for Gravitas Ventures.

    In overall sales it was the lowest ticket-selling weekend of the summer. With few new wide releases on tap — including two Idris Elba titles: the safari thriller “Beast” (Aug. 19) and George Miller’s “Three Thousand Years of Longing” (Aug. 26) — moviegoing is likely to slow further in the coming weeks.

    Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

    1. “Bullet Train,” $13.4 million.

    2. “DC League of Super-Pets,” $7.2 million

    3. “Top Gun: Maverick,” $7.2 million.

    4. “Thor: Love and Thunder,” $5.3 million.

    5. “Nope,” $5.3 million.

    6. “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” $4.9 million.

    7. “Where the Crawdads Sing,” $4 million.

    8. “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” $3.3 million.

    9. “Elvis,” $2.6 million.

    10. “Fall,” $2.5 million.

  • Brad Pitt has ‘secret list’ of Hollywood actors he will never work with again

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Brad Pitt has a ‘secret list’ of Hollywood actors he won’t work with, according to his ‘Bullet Train’ co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson.The 58-year-old has an enviable career working with some of the biggest names, but Taylor-Johnson reckons there are some faces he refuses to film with, reports mirror.co.uk.The husband of director Sam Taylor-Johnson shared this during an interview for the pair’s new film ‘Bullet Train’, in which they play assassins in Japan.Speaking about working with the dad-of-six, Aaron said: “He just wants to bring light and joy into the world and be around people who are there to have a good time.”You work with many actors and after a while you start making notes (like) “I am definitely not working with this person ever again.””Brad has this list too” reports Variety.Having made his debut in Hollywood at 24, Pitt has shared the screen with the great and the good of Hollywood.He starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Once Upon A Time in Hollywood’, Tilda Swinton in ‘Benjamin Button’ and of course his ex-wife Angelina Jolie in ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’.Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016 after just two years of marriage, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’.There were concerns the actress’ ex may be thinking of retiring after his latest movie when Brad told GQ he was entering the “last semester of the trimester”.However, when asked by reporters during the premiere whether the movie would be his last, Pitt seemed surprised by the line of questioning.

    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Brad Pitt has a ‘secret list’ of Hollywood actors he won’t work with, according to his ‘Bullet Train’ co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
    The 58-year-old has an enviable career working with some of the biggest names, but Taylor-Johnson reckons there are some faces he refuses to film with, reports mirror.co.uk.
    The husband of director Sam Taylor-Johnson shared this during an interview for the pair’s new film ‘Bullet Train’, in which they play assassins in Japan.
    Speaking about working with the dad-of-six, Aaron said: “He just wants to bring light and joy into the world and be around people who are there to have a good time.
    “You work with many actors and after a while you start making notes (like) “I am definitely not working with this person ever again.”
    “Brad has this list too” reports Variety.
    Having made his debut in Hollywood at 24, Pitt has shared the screen with the great and the good of Hollywood.
    He starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Once Upon A Time in Hollywood’, Tilda Swinton in ‘Benjamin Button’ and of course his ex-wife Angelina Jolie in ‘Mr and Mrs Smith’.
    Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016 after just two years of marriage, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’.
    There were concerns the actress’ ex may be thinking of retiring after his latest movie when Brad told GQ he was entering the “last semester of the trimester”.
    However, when asked by reporters during the premiere whether the movie would be his last, Pitt seemed surprised by the line of questioning.

  • Brad Pitt back with ‘Bullet Points’

    By Express News Service

    After back-to-back hits in the form of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Ad Astra, Brad Pitt is back this week with Bullet Train. The veteran actor, who attended the press conference of the film along with the cast and crew, called the virtual meeting “really fun”. Calling Bullet Train a product of the pandemic, Pitt said, “It was five or six months into the pandemic and it was messing up with our minds. That’s when I read this really funny script and there was one scene involving rapper Bad Bunny which made me laugh out loud.”

    Incidentally, Pitt had earlier worked with the film’s director David Leitch albeit in a different role. “When we first met, I was an actor and he was a stuntman. In fact, he was my stunt double from Fight Club days and we have worked in films like The Mexican, Mr & Mrs Smith and Troy. It was good to come back a full circle with my man becoming the boss,” said Pitt. Talking about the rest of the ensemble cast, he said, “When these guys jumped on, they lit the thing up. In this film, it’s not about characters supporting the protagonist. They all have their own agenda and they clash with each other. They are a talented bunch and we had a blast shooting for the film.”

    Pitt plays Ladybug, a seasoned assassin with “strange” philosophies. “He’s a chump (laughs) and that’s the kind of role that’s the most fun to play. Zak Olkewicz wrote the character and I believe the character is someone who has had a mental breakdown because of his absence from work. Maybe he had a couple of months of therapy under his belt and therefore he thought he had all the answers about life. He even believes that conflicts can be solved peacefully (smiles). The sad thing is, that’s pretty much where I am in life.”

    Interestingly, Pitt’s last on-screen appearance was a cameo in Sandra Bullock’s The Lost City, and now, the Gravity actor has done a cameo in Bullet Train. “Sandy is a dear friend who I can call for any favour. When this film came along, I wanted to call her for another favour (laughs). She agreed and this time she wanted me to return the favour, and that’s how The Lost City happened. I like how we get to cross-pollinate each other’s projects.”

    Despite Bullet Train being an action film, Pitt says it was also a technological marvel. “The technology is amazing. I’ve seen Hitchcock films where a character drives a car and projection plays a video in the background. Now, in this film, they have designed massive video walls that are three cars in length and 20 feet tall.

    They would display the entire sequence of the train travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto, so we didn’t feel stagnant at all. Actually, some of the actors had motion sickness,” says Pitt, adding, “When you work with the best, the rhythms that happen are so much fun and it gives you a sense of fulfilment when you go back home. We figured this film as we went along so there was also a sense of adventure. That was the most rewarding experience,” concludes Pitt.

    After back-to-back hits in the form of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Ad Astra, Brad Pitt is back this week with Bullet Train. The veteran actor, who attended the press conference of the film along with the cast and crew, called the virtual meeting “really fun”. Calling Bullet Train a product of the pandemic, Pitt said, “It was five or six months into the pandemic and it was messing up with our minds. That’s when I read this really funny script and there was one scene involving rapper Bad Bunny which made me laugh out loud.”

    Incidentally, Pitt had earlier worked with the film’s director David Leitch albeit in a different role. “When we first met, I was an actor and he was a stuntman. In fact, he was my stunt double from Fight Club days and we have worked in films like The Mexican, Mr & Mrs Smith and Troy. It was good to come back a full circle with my man becoming the boss,” said Pitt. Talking about the rest of the ensemble cast, he said, “When these guys jumped on, they lit the thing up. In this film, it’s not about characters supporting the protagonist. They all have their own agenda and they clash with each other. They are a talented bunch and we had a blast shooting for the film.”

    Pitt plays Ladybug, a seasoned assassin with “strange” philosophies. “He’s a chump (laughs) and that’s the kind of role that’s the most fun to play. Zak Olkewicz wrote the character and I believe the character is someone who has had a mental breakdown because of his absence from work. Maybe he had a couple of months of therapy under his belt and therefore he thought he had all the answers about life. He even believes that conflicts can be solved peacefully (smiles). The sad thing is, that’s pretty much where I am in life.”

    Interestingly, Pitt’s last on-screen appearance was a cameo in Sandra Bullock’s The Lost City, and now, the Gravity actor has done a cameo in Bullet Train. “Sandy is a dear friend who I can call for any favour. When this film came along, I wanted to call her for another favour (laughs). She agreed and this time she wanted me to return the favour, and that’s how The Lost City happened. I like how we get to cross-pollinate each other’s projects.”

    Despite Bullet Train being an action film, Pitt says it was also a technological marvel. “The technology is amazing. I’ve seen Hitchcock films where a character drives a car and projection plays a video in the background. Now, in this film, they have designed massive video walls that are three cars in length and 20 feet tall.

    They would display the entire sequence of the train travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto, so we didn’t feel stagnant at all. Actually, some of the actors had motion sickness,” says Pitt, adding, “When you work with the best, the rhythms that happen are so much fun and it gives you a sense of fulfilment when you go back home. We figured this film as we went along so there was also a sense of adventure. That was the most rewarding experience,” concludes Pitt.

  • Brad Pitt’s ‘Bullet Train’ to release in India on August 4 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Hollywood star Brad Pitt-led action comedy “Bullet Train” will hit the theatres in India on August 4, a day prior to its international release, the makers announced on Wednesday.

    The film, directed by “Deadpool 2” helmer David Leitch, also features actors Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry.

    In the movie, Pitt stars as the seasoned assassin named Ladybug, who wants to give up his life but is pulled back in by his handler Maria Beetle in order to collect a briefcase on a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Kyoto. Once on board, he and the other competing assassins discover that their objectives are all connected.

    The role marks Pitt’s first theatrical release since his Oscar-winning role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood”. Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock will also be seen in a special role in the movie.

    Sony Pictures Entertainment India will release “Bullet Train” across theatres in the country in languages – English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

    MUMBAI: Hollywood star Brad Pitt-led action comedy “Bullet Train” will hit the theatres in India on August 4, a day prior to its international release, the makers announced on Wednesday.

    The film, directed by “Deadpool 2” helmer David Leitch, also features actors Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry.

    In the movie, Pitt stars as the seasoned assassin named Ladybug, who wants to give up his life but is pulled back in by his handler Maria Beetle in order to collect a briefcase on a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Kyoto. Once on board, he and the other competing assassins discover that their objectives are all connected.

    The role marks Pitt’s first theatrical release since his Oscar-winning role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood”. Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock will also be seen in a special role in the movie.

    Sony Pictures Entertainment India will release “Bullet Train” across theatres in the country in languages – English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

  • Brad Pitt’s ‘Bullet Train’ to release in India on August 4

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Hollywood star Brad Pitt-led action comedy “Bullet Train” will hit the theatres in India on August 4, a day prior to its international release, the makers announced on Wednesday.

    The film, directed by “Deadpool 2” helmer David Leitch, also features actors Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry.

    In the movie, Pitt stars as the seasoned assassin named Ladybug, who wants to give up the life but is pulled back in by his handler Maria Beetle in order to collect a briefcase on a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Kyoto.

    ALSO READ | Angelina Jolie wins legal battle against ex-husband Brad Pitt over French winery

    Once on board, he and the other competing assassins discover that their objectives are all connected.

    The role marks Pitt’s first theatrical release since his Oscar-winning role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood”.

    Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock will also be seen in a special role in the movie.

    Sony Pictures Entertainment India will release “Bullet Train” across theatres in the country in languages – English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

    MUMBAI: Hollywood star Brad Pitt-led action comedy “Bullet Train” will hit the theatres in India on August 4, a day prior to its international release, the makers announced on Wednesday.

    The film, directed by “Deadpool 2” helmer David Leitch, also features actors Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry.

    In the movie, Pitt stars as the seasoned assassin named Ladybug, who wants to give up the life but is pulled back in by his handler Maria Beetle in order to collect a briefcase on a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Kyoto.

    ALSO READ | Angelina Jolie wins legal battle against ex-husband Brad Pitt over French winery

    Once on board, he and the other competing assassins discover that their objectives are all connected.

    The role marks Pitt’s first theatrical release since his Oscar-winning role in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood”.

    Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock will also be seen in a special role in the movie.

    Sony Pictures Entertainment India will release “Bullet Train” across theatres in the country in languages – English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

  • Brad Pitt’s ‘Bullet Train’ gets a new release date

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: Brad Pitt’s ‘Bullet Train’ is arriving at the station a little later than scheduled. Sony Pictures announced that the action thriller is moving from July 15 to July 29, taking the recently-vacated date of Dwayne Johnson’s DC movie ‘Black Adam’.

    As per Deadline, the July 15 release date is now being taken by ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’, a drama-mystery from Sony’s 3000 Pictures.

    The move gives ‘Bullet Train’ a little breathing room behind Disney’s MCU threequel ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, which will hit theatres on July 8.

    In its new July 29 slot, ‘Bullet Train’ will battle two other wide openers: Focus Features’ horror-thriller ‘Vengeance’ and Paramount’s animated action-comedy ‘Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank’, which are both releasing on July 22.

    Pitt stars in ‘Bullet Train’ as an experienced assassin whose first day back at work isn’t as easy as planned as he finds himself among several other professional killers with a similar mission on said train.

    Sandra Bullock, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Hiroyuki Sanada, Zazie Michael Shannon, Andrew Koji and Benito A Martinez Ocasio (aka Bad Bunny) are also a part of the star cast.

    The upcoming movie has been helmed by ‘Deadpool 2’ director David Leitch. With a screenplay by Zak Olkewicz, the film is based on ‘Maria Beetle’ by Kotaro Isaka. 

  • Brad Pitt to headline an F1 racing film

    By Express News Service

    Brad Pitt is set to star as the lead in a film based on Formula One racing. The film will be directed by Joseph Kosinski, who is also behind the yet-to-be-released Tom Cruise actioner Top Gun: Maverick.

    While the story of the film is currently under tight wraps, reports suggest that screenwriter Ehren Kruger, who has also collaborated with Kosinski on Top Gun: Maverick, is on board to pen the script. Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer behind blockbuster franchises such as Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure, will be serving as the producer on the untitled project.

    According to reports, major studios such as MGM, Sony, Universal, Disney, Netflix, Apple, and Amazon are competing to acquire distribution rights of the film. On the other hand, Pitt has The Lost City, Bullet Train, and Babylon.