Academy Award-winning actor J.K. Simmons has officially joined Heart of the Beast, reuniting with Brad Pitt and director David Ayer for Paramount’s upcoming survival thriller.
The film follows a former Army Special Forces soldier and his retired combat dog as they fight for survival after a plane crash in the harsh Alaskan wilderness. Written by Cameron Alexander, Heart of the Beast is produced by Ayer under his Crave Films banner, along with Pitt’s Plan B and Temple Hill Entertainment. Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton are also producing under their Wild Chickens Productions banner as part of their first-look deal with the studio.
This marks Simmons’ second collaboration with Ayer after 2005’s Harsh Times and his third time appearing in a film alongside Pitt, following The Mexican (2001) and Burn After Reading (2008).
Simmons, best known for his Oscar-winning performance in Whiplash (2014), has had a distinguished career in film and television, including roles in Juno, La La Land, and as J. Jonah Jameson in Spider-Man. He was also nominated for a second Academy Award for Being the Ricardos.
With an all-star production team and a gripping survival story, Heart of the Beast is shaping up to be a highly anticipated release.
