Brad Pitt is set to take on a very different kind of role with Connector, a new drama from Apple Original Films that will see the actor portray a fearless ironworker working hundreds of feet above the streets of 1970s New York. The 62-year-old actor is reuniting with Apple following the success of F1 and Wolfs, with Darius Marder, the filmmaker behind the Oscar-winning Sound of Metal, attached to direct. The project stands out for its unusual subject, bringing the dangerous and largely unseen world of high-rise construction workers to the big screen through a story set against the changing skyline of New York.
Set in 1970s New York, Connector revolves around a working-class legend known for walking across the steel frameworks of buildings under construction. These ironworkers played an important role in shaping America’s cities, often carrying out physically demanding work at extraordinary heights, with little room for error. The film will follow one such figure as he takes on forces much larger than himself. Although further details about the central character, the nature of his challenges and the wider story remain under wraps, the premise offers Pitt an opportunity to explore a world far removed from the high-speed racing environment of his recent film F1.
The subject also gives the project a distinct setting within American working-class history. High-rise construction workers were central to the transformation of major cities, helping create the steel structures that would eventually define their skylines. Their work demanded physical courage and technical skill, often under dangerous conditions. By focusing on an ironworker rather than the architects, developers or business figures associated with large construction projects, Connector appears to place its attention on the people whose labour made those buildings possible. The film’s 1970s setting provides the backdrop for this story, although the production has yet to disclose further historical or narrative details.
For Marder, Connector marks a significant return to feature filmmaking as a director. His last feature, Sound of Metal, was released in 2020 and starred Riz Ahmed as Ruben, a heavy metal drummer whose life changes as he gradually loses his hearing. The film received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, and won two awards for Best Sound and Best Film Editing. It earned recognition for its intimate portrayal of a musician confronting a profound change in his life and the relationship between sound, identity and personal acceptance.
Moving from a musician whose livelihood depends on sound to an ironworker whose profession revolves around steel represents a notable shift in subject matter for Marder. Both stories, however, place their central characters in demanding professional environments and examine individuals navigating circumstances that can fundamentally alter their lives. While the full narrative of Connector remains undisclosed, Marder’s involvement brings an established filmmaker to a story centred on a physically demanding occupation and a character operating under extraordinary conditions.
The film also reunites Marder with filmmaker Derek Cianfrance through a creative collaboration that goes back to The Place Beyond the Pines (2012). Marder has written the screenplay for Connector with his sister, Nina Marder, based on a story by Cianfrance. The earlier film, directed by Cianfrance, was a critically acclaimed drama featuring interconnected stories shaped by family relationships, personal choices and their consequences. The new collaboration brings together filmmakers who have previously explored characters navigating difficult circumstances, although Connector takes them into a different historical and professional setting.
Pitt’s involvement could also help the project move towards production sooner rather than later. According to industry reports, the actor was particularly impressed with the latest screenplay draft and is considering Connector as the first project he shoots in 2027. However, an official production schedule has not been announced, and the reported possibility should not be treated as confirmation that filming will begin next year. The development nevertheless suggests that the project has attracted considerable interest from its leading actor as it moves forward.
The film further strengthens the relationship between Apple Original Films, Pitt and his production company Plan B. Their previous collaborations include Wolfs and F1, with the latter becoming the highest-grossing sports feature of all time after earning approximately $634.1 million worldwide. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, F1 gave Apple a significant theatrical achievement and demonstrated the commercial reach of a major film built around a globally recognised star and an established sporting property. The reported worldwide total also provides context for Apple’s continued association with Pitt and Plan B as the company develops further projects with the actor.
For Pitt, Connector would represent another departure from the kinds of roles audiences have seen him take on in recent years. His recent filmography has included the racing drama F1 and the action comedy Wolfs, while the new project places him in the world of industrial construction and the lives of working-class men in an earlier period of American history. The role’s physical setting and the character’s profession offer a different dramatic framework, although the extent of the physical demands involved in the performance has not yet been disclosed.
With a story centred on the men who helped build New York’s skyline, Connector has the potential to bring an unfamiliar chapter of American working-class history to the screen. The combination of Brad Pitt’s involvement, Darius Marder’s return to directing and the creative connection with Derek Cianfrance gives the project an interesting foundation. Further details about the supporting cast, production schedule and release plans are yet to be announced. For now, the film’s premise and creative team make it a notable addition to Apple Original Films’ developing slate.