Brad Pitt & Edward Berger Team On ‘The Riders’ From Scott Free As A24 Boards To Distribute And Finance #CanadaFinance

EXCLUSIVE: Following his work on Best Picture Oscar nominee Conclave, director Edward Berger looks to have zeroed in on his potential next project and is teaming with one of the town’s biggest stars. Sources tell Deadline that, following a competitive situation, A24 has landed the hot package The Riders with Academy Award winner Brad Pitt on board to star and Berger set to direct. David Kajganich will adapt Tim Winton’s novel.

The novel follows Fred Scully (Pitt), who, after traveling through Europe for two years, winds up in Ireland with his wife and daughter. And on a mystical whim of his wife Jennifer, they buy an old farmhouse that stands in the shadow of a castle. While Scully spends weeks alone renovating the old house, Jennifer returns to Australia to liquidate their assets. When Scully arrives at Shannon Airport to pick up Jennifer and their 7-year-old daughter, Billie, it is Billie who emerges — alone. There is no note, no explanation, not so much as a word from Jennifer, and the shock has left Billie speechless. In that instant, Scully’s life falls to pieces.

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Scott Free’s Ridley Scott and Michael Pruss will produce the film alongside Kajganich and Berger’s nine hours, and Pitt, Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner for Plan B Entertainment.

Scott Free has been developing the script for some time after Kajganich brought the 1994 novel to the company a decade ago, with the prodco at one point considering it as a potential directing vehicle. It recently caught the interest of Berger, who worked with Scott Free TV on AMC’s The Terror, which Kajganich created and Ridley Scott executive produced. The script eventually landed in front of Pitt, and once he gave his commitment, it soon became one of the top packages to hit the market this year. And given the pedigree and star power, A24 was aggressive in its pursuit, ultimately landing the project.

Production will commence in early 2026 and shoot in multiple locations across Europe. A24 will finance and handle the worldwide theatrical release of the film.

Pitt is expected to shoot The Continuing Adventures of Cliff Booth for Netflix next. The pic featuring one of Pitt’s most iconic characters has David Fincher directing from a script by Quentin Tarantino.

As for Berger, the Oscar-nominated All Quiet on the Western Front director had a number of options following the success of his Oscar-nominated Vatican thriller Conclave. He did recently attach himself to the Evan Gershkovich package that landed at United Artists, but with Pitt on board and The Riders a go script, this will likely be his next film.

Next up for Pitt is the tentpole F1which bows in June and was directed by Joseph Kosinski. Berger has the Netflix drama The Ballad of a Small Player bowing this fall. Colin Farrell is set to star, and the film is expected to be another contender this awards season.

Pitt is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Berger is repped by CAA, Range and Casarotto Ramsay and Kajganich is repped by UTA and Anonymous Content.

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