Brad Pitt Teams with Sound of Metal Director for Connector

Brad Pitt is trading race tracks for steel girders. Connector is his next move — and he’s not only front and center but also riding shotgun as a producer.

Apple Original Films has locked in Pitt for the lead role in Connector, directed by Dariush Marder, the filmmaker behind the quietly devastating Sound of Metal. The screenplay is a collaboration between Marder and his sister Nina, and Deadline reports the project is currently in development.

The story drops into 1970s New York and follows a blue-collar life lived at dizzying heights: a skywalking ironworker who becomes something of a legend among his peers. He climbs, he balances, and then he collides with forces that feel larger than the city itself. Specifics about Pitt’s character remain under wraps, which only raises the curiosity.

Pitt will produce through his company Plan B, joined by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Marder as producers. Insiders say Pitt, Plan B and Marder spent a long time shaping the script, and once a new draft landed, Pitt was keen to make Connector one of his next on-screen projects. Choosing Apple again makes sense — the actor and the studio have built momentum together.

The pairing isn’t new. Pitt and Plan B previously worked with Apple on F1: The Movie and Wolfs; the global success of the F1 picture strengthened that relationship and paved the way for a very different follow-up. For Marder, Connector marks a return to features after Sound of Metal brought him widespread attention.

Sound of Metal arrived at the Oscars with six nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay for Marder, and took home awards for sound and editing. That film’s tactile, listening-driven approach suggests Marder will bring a sensory, character-first lens to Connector — a potentially fruitful match for a story rooted in manual labor and high stakes.

Reports indicate Pitt would like to begin shooting in 2027, though no official production start or release date has been announced. If Connector nails the grit of 1970s New York and Marder’s intimate directorial instincts, it could become one of the more surprising chapters in Pitt’s filmography. Keep an eye on the skyline.