Brad Pitt isn’t slowing down at 61, and I’m not just talking about his 2025 movie release, the Kosinski new racing thriller F1, or the recently announced continuation of his Cliff Booth character. He’s about to throw down a cinematic challenge to his longtime friend Leonardo DiCaprio, as he prepares to film his upcoming survival thriller Heart of the Beast. According to a new report, an insider claims Pitt is training harder than he has in years, allegedly with one goal in mind: to match—or top—DiCaprio’s extreme performance in The Revenant.
According to InTouch Weekly, Pitt is fully locked in on the physically grueling shoot, which will see him portraying a former U.S. Navy SEAL stranded in the remote wilderness alongside his retired combat dog. The insider notes that the Bullet Train headliner is taking the lead not just as the film’s star, but also as a producer, and he’s well aware of the physical punishment ahead. The source told the outlet that allegedly:
Brad hates the gym, and even though he has a full weightlifting spread at his home in Los Angeles, he’s been doing as much outdoors training as he can, putting his flexibility and endurance to the test. This is going to be an intense shoot and even though Brad isn’t doing all of his own stunts, he’s going to be in some physically hairy situations along the lines of what his old pal Leonardo DiCaprio put himself through on The Revenant.
Topping Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in The Revenant is no easy feat. From the intense bear sequences to the raw meat-eating scenes, DiCaprio truly brought his best to a role that earned him his first Oscar. The Titanic star famously endured weeks in freezing conditions, swam in icy rivers, and reportedly slept in an animal carcass to portray fur trapper Hugh Glass in Alejandro Iñárritu’s 2015 epic, a performance that finally earned him an Oscar. Now, insiders suggest the Ad Astra actor is aiming for the same level of visceral authenticity in Heart of the Beast:
Of course, Brad is competitive enough to want to top what Leo did, but even matching that level of extreme physicality would be remarkable, and not without real risks.
The Troy actor has reportedly been spotted on set in New Zealand’s South Island, sporting a rugged look complete with a knit beanie and beard, and was seen kayaking in the wilderness where much of the film is being shot. Rather than relying on conventional training, the Fight Club star has allegedly embraced outdoor cardio and endurance routines to prepare for the demanding role. The insider added:
Brad is going into Heart of the Beast with his eyes wide open as a producer, a star, and somebody who is going to be putting himself through an enormous amount of physical punishment to get this story told.
Despite his age, the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood alum appears ready to take on the physical toll of telling this survival story. With a plot focused on isolation, resilience, and the bond between man and dog in the face of nature’s worst, the movie offers plenty of opportunities for extreme moments that could rival DiCaprio’s icy ordeal. If the execution matches the ambition, it could be one of his most intense roles yet.
Up next for Pitt, he stars as Sonny Hayes in F1, playing a retired driver brought back to the sport by a friend (Javier Bardem) to mentor rising star Joshua "Noah" Pearce (Damson Idris). The talented ensemble cast also stars Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, and Shea Whigham. With action that will demand the big screen experience, the film hits U.S. theaters June 27.
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