Brad Pitt's A24 Debut: Missing Wife Mystery Takes Star Across Europe

Olivia Bennett, 4/29/2025Brad Pitt is set to star in A24's "The Riders," a mystical drama based on Tim Winton's novel, following a father's search for his missing wife. Directed by Edward Berger, production begins in 2026 across Europe, promising a compelling exploration of love and loss.

The project emerged from a bidding war that probably cost A24 a small fortune. But when you've got Pitt teaming up with Edward Berger (fresh off his "Conclave" triumph), maybe that's just the price of poker these days.

Here's the thing about "The Riders" — it's not your typical missing-person story. Based on Tim Winton's 1994 novel, the film follows Fred Scully, who does what many of us dream about but never dare: buys a farmhouse in Ireland. (Let's be real, who hasn't fantasized about escaping to the Emerald Isle after a particularly rough Monday?) But Scully's dream quickly morphs into a nightmare when his wife vanishes without a trace, leaving their seven-year-old daughter Billie as the only witness to... well, whatever happened.

David Kajganich, whose work on "Bones and All" proved he knows how to serve up emotional devastation with a side of style, has adapted the screenplay. The project's been marinating at Ridley Scott's Scott Free banner for over a decade — sometimes the best stories need time to properly ferment.

For A24, this represents another calculated step in their ongoing mission to make "prestige" and "commercial" stop feeling like opposing forces in cinema. Production kicks off in early 2026, with filming planned across Europe — though whether they'll stick to the novel's locations or chart their own course remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Pitt's keeping busy. He's set to reprise his role as Cliff Booth in a Netflix sequel to "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" — a project that somehow managed to get both David Fincher and Quentin Tarantino on board. Because apparently, lightning does occasionally strike twice in La La Land.

Before "The Riders" even starts rolling, we'll see Pitt burning rubber in Joseph Kosinski's "F1" (coming summer 2025). At this point in his career, Pitt seems determined to prove that age is just a number, and frankly? He's making a pretty convincing case.

The combination of A24's indie cred, Berger's artistic vision, and Pitt's star power suggests "The Riders" might be exactly what cinema needs right now — a reminder that sometimes the most compelling stories are the ones that make us uncomfortable in our seats. At the very least, it'll give us something to debate over dinner besides whatever's trending on social media.

Hollywood's golden boy is going indie, and honestly? It's about time. Brad Pitt — whose career choices have aged better than his famously ageless face — just inked a deal with A24 for "The Riders," a mystical drama that's been floating around development hell longer than some of his co-stars have been alive.The project emerged from a bidding war that probably cost A24 a small fortune. But when you've got Pitt teaming up with Edward Berger (fresh off his "Conclave" triumph), maybe that's just the price of poker these days.Here's the thing about "The Riders" — it's not your typical missing-person story. Based on Tim Winton's 1994 novel, the film follows Fred Scully, who does what many of us dream about but never dare: buys a farmhouse in Ireland. (Let's be real, who hasn't fantasized about escaping to the Emerald Isle after a particularly rough Monday?) But Scully's dream quickly morphs into a nightmare when his wife vanishes without a trace, leaving their seven-year-old daughter Billie as the only witness to... well, whatever happened.David Kajganich, whose work on "Bones and All" proved he knows how to serve up emotional devastation with a side of style, has adapted the screenplay. The project's been marinating at Ridley Scott's Scott Free banner for over a decade — sometimes the best stories need time to properly ferment.For A24, this represents another calculated step in their ongoing mission to make "prestige" and "commercial" stop feeling like opposing forces in cinema. Production kicks off in early 2026, with filming planned across Europe — though whether they'll stick to the novel's locations or chart their own course remains to be seen.Meanwhile, Pitt's keeping busy. He's set to reprise his role as Cliff Booth in a Netflix sequel to "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" — a project that somehow managed to get both David Fincher and Quentin Tarantino on board. Because apparently, lightning does occasionally strike twice in La La Land.Before "The Riders" even starts rolling, we'll see Pitt burning rubber in Joseph Kosinski's "F1" (coming summer 2025). At this point in his career, Pitt seems determined to prove that age is just a number, and frankly? He's making a pretty convincing case.The combination of A24's indie cred, Berger's artistic vision, and Pitt's star power suggests "The Riders" might be exactly what cinema needs right now — a reminder that sometimes the most compelling stories are the ones that make us uncomfortable in our seats. At the very least, it'll give us something to debate over dinner besides whatever's trending on social media.