Brad Pitt Opens up About the Film He Thought Was Abysmal

In 1986, a young Brad Pitt sat down with Tiger Beat for one of the most defining early interviews of his life. At just twenty-two years old, the actor was already looking a decade into the future, speculating on where his path might lead.

He calculated that by thirty-two, he hoped to be a family man with children he jokingly called Brad Jrs., while reaching a professional standing similar to Kevin Costner. For the aspiring star, the goal was simple: to be a respected actor who could move an audience just as deeply as his favorite films moved him.

He also expressed a clear desire to eventually run his own production company, a dream that would manifest in 2001 with the launch of Plan B Entertainment. By the time he actually reached thirty-two in 1996, Pitt had already surpassed those early expectations, becoming one of the most bankable and acclaimed leading men in the world.

Interestingly, while he is known globally for his acting, Pitt’s first Academy Award was actually for his work as a producer when 12 Years a Slave took home Best Picture in 2014. He eventually added an acting Oscar to his shelf in 2020 for his portrayal of the cool-headed Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Given his dual success as both a creator and a performer, it is no surprise that he has developed very specific tastes when it comes to the classics of the genre. During an appearance on the Video Club webcast, Pitt shared some of his personal favorites, ranging from the high-energy Deadpool to the atmospheric Three Days of the Condor.

However, he saved his strongest opinions for William Friedkin’s 1973 horror masterpiece, The Exorcist. While he considers the original theatrical version to be one of the most frightening movies of all time, he was far less complimentary toward the later director’s cut.

Pitt expressed genuine frustration with the revised version, specifically targeting the updated soundtrack and the replacement of practical sound effects with modern digital ones. He described the decision to re-edit the film as abysmal, wondering aloud why a director would choose to alter such a nearly perfect piece of cinema.

To Pitt, the original’s raw intensity was far superior to the polished, modernized remix that eventually replaced it. As of February, Brad Pitt is currently enjoying a massive career high following the surprise Super Bowl LX teaser for his latest project, The Adventures of Cliff Booth.

The film, which is expected to hit Netflix later this year, sees him reuniting with director David Fincher to revisit his iconic, Oscar-winning role from the Tarantino universe. The $200 million production serves as a “fixer” thriller set in the 1970s and features an incredible ensemble cast including Elizabeth Debicki, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Scott Caan.

In addition to his return to the world of Cliff Booth, Pitt is also celebrating the continued success of his racing drama, F1, which premiered last summer and has since grossed over $630 million worldwide.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently confirmed that a sequel is already in the works, with Pitt heavily involved in the development and casting process. Meanwhile, the actor is also in Ireland filming One for All, a drama based on the novel The Riders, which has seen him spotted across Dublin and Cork over the last few weeks.

Do you agree with Brad Pitt that classic films like The Exorcist should be left in their original state rather than being “remixed” for modern audiences with new sound effects and edits? Share your thoughts in the comments.