Following the worldwide success of “F1: The Movie,” Brad Pitt and Apple Original Films are teaming for their next project, with Apple coming aboard “Connector,” a new feature that will star the Oscar winner, according to an exclusive report by Deadline‘s Justin Kroll. Pitt will also serve as a producer through his Plan B banner, with “Sound of Metal” director Darius Marder set to helm the film. The project is currently in development. The screenplay is written by Marder and his sister Nina Marder. Set in 1970s New York, the story centers on a working-class legend — a sky-walking ironworker who takes on forces larger than himself. Apple Studios will serve as the studio. Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner will produce for Plan B, with Marder also producing. Sources indicate that Pitt, Plan B, and Marder had been discussing the project for some time. After the latest draft arrived, Pitt was high on potentially making it the next film he would shoot in 2027. As producers sought a home for the project, Apple made the most sense given the strong relationship forged with Plan B on “F1” and “Wolfs.” “F1: The Movie” became the highest-grossing sports feature of all time, earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, and further solidified the partnership between Apple Original Films and Plan B. The collaboration continues with other upcoming projects involving the production company. This marks Marder’s first feature directing effort since his 2020 debut “Sound of Metal.” That film earned six Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay for Marder, and won Oscars for Best Sound and Best Film Editing. On the acting front, Pitt is coming off the Paramount survival thriller “Heart of the Beast,” which has grossed nearly $200 million worldwide this fall. He also has “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth” — a team-up with David Fincher and Quentin Tarantino — bowing over Thanksgiving, with Edward Berger’s A24 film “The Riders” lined up for next year. Pitt is represented by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners. Marder is represented by CAA, 42, and Greg Slewett at JSSK.
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Apple Original Films lands ‘Connector,’ a new feature film to star Brad Pitt
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Apple’s $299 HomeView smart display draws praise for design and sound
Apple’s first smart display, the HomeView, went on sale-adjacent review rounds this week (launching November 13, 2026, at $299). It pairs a 7-inch square Liquid Retina touchscreen with a speaker base (or optional wall mount), facial/voice recognition for up to six users, Siri AI, HomeKit/Matter controls, FaceTime, photos, and guided cooking. Early major reviews largely credit the polished hardware and Apple ecosystem fit while flagging software limitations, reliance on a nearby iPhone, and a higher price than Amazon or Google rivals. The Verge: Strong Favorite with Family Friction (7/10) Jen Tuohy, The Verge’s senior smart home reviewer, tested tabletop and wall-mounted units across kitchen, entryway, bedside, and office use. She calls it “my new favorite smart display” for speedy smart-home control (lights, scenes, cameras, locks), excellent Handoff-guided cooking with automatic timers, gorgeous customizable “faces” (including Snoopy), and solid sound for the size. Siri AI is “helpful in the home” but can be slow. Friction arises when it acts as a shared family iPhone extension: personal data (texts, calendar) appears with facial recognition and a nearby unlocked phone, leading to privacy issues (she could read her daughter’s messages). Widgets and apps feel limited, and wall mounts add significant cost. Best for Apple households that prioritize hands-free kitchen and home control over broad entertainment. Engadget: Versatile and Family-Friendly Hardware (8.4/10) Billy Steele highlights elegant design (evoking iMac G4 nostalgia), category-leading sound (drivers in the display plus base woofer/radiators on the tabletop model), crisp colorful display with excellent low brightness for nightstands, and practical family use via face/voice profiles. It serves as a smart-home hub, cooking assistant (Safari recipe mode with ingredients/checklists and Siri shopping-list help), and personal Siri AI conduit (A18 chip with Secure Enclave processing). Drawbacks include heavy dependence on a nearby unlocked iPhone or iPad for personal apps and data, poor video experience on the square screen (limited native apps beyond Apple TV), and third-party support still maturing. Sound and design stand out even versus HomePod mini. PCMag: Editors’ Choice for Apple Households (4.0/5) Andrew Gebhart awards an Editors’ Choice, calling it the best smart display for iPhone-centric homes. Facial recognition enables instant profile switching so each person sees their calendar, photos, and data; Siri AI handles conversational and personal queries well even with imperfect phrasing. The screen makes photos and FaceTime pop, sound is balanced and room-filling, and recipe assistance is strong. It requires a relatively recent iPhone or iPad (iOS/iPadOS 27.2) for setup and full features, has limited apps, and the square aspect ratio is awkward for video. PCMag positions it as purpose-built for the Apple kitchen counter rather than a general-purpose streamer or multi-platform hub. MacDailyNews Take: Across these and other contemporaneous reviews (TechRadar 4/5, ZDNET 4.5/5, Bloomberg, Forbes, Tom’s Guide), consensus holds that the HomeView is a refined latecomer that excels at design, audio, smart-home speed, personalization, and kitchen utility for Apple users. Siri AI is improved but slower and less capable than Alexa+ or Gemini in many tests; native video and third-party apps lag; and the device works best when the household is already locked into Apple’s ecosystem. Wall-mount versions raise the effective price.
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Apple Original Films lands ‘Connector,’ a new feature film to star Brad Pitt
Following the worldwide success of “F1: The Movie,” Brad Pitt and Apple Original Films are teaming for their next project, with Apple comin...
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