Brad Pitt’s latest action comedy “Bullet Train” is currently racing to the top of the box office, raking in nearly $13 million in receipts on opening night alone.
Fans are already abuzz about director David Leitch scoring a few eye-popping celebrity cameos.
[Warning: Major spoilers ahead.]
Pitt, 58, stars as hired hitman Ladybug who boards a bullet train to retrieve a case and encounters several people along the journey trying to end his life.
Leitch’s colorful yet bloody crowdpleaser co-stars Bad Bunny, Joey King and Aaron Taylor-Johnson — but the filmmaker knew he needed some high-powered bonus attractions, too.
“When you pay your money and you go to the theater, you want to have a fun time,” Leitch, 46, told Insider of his desire to score secret celeb scene-stealers. “So looking at ‘Hobbs & Shaw,’ or the last ‘Deadpool,’ and this movie, cameos really work for me and I embrace them.”
The “John Wick” helmer added: “I look for pockets of opportunity. We look for relationships with the actors on set. If the material feels like it’s right, I’m leaning in. You paid your money, you want to be surprised.”
Brad Pitt (left), as killer Ladybug, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, as hired mercenary Tangerine, in a scene from “Bullet Train.” APPitt’s fellow leading men led the surprise attack pack: Both Channing Tatum, 42, and Ryan Reynolds, 45, made unsuspecting viewers’ jaws drop when they appeared on-screen amid the gory fighting and snarky one-liners.
Tatum plays a train commuter who has a quirky but kinky side that lusts after Pitt’s character. Reynolds — who starred in Leitch’s 2018 superhero flick “Deadpool 2” — also appeared as the assassin named Carver.
Carver was originally supposed to be on the train instead of Ladybug. While his name is mentioned throughout the film, his identity is not revealed until the twisty conclusion.
Leitch also revealed how preexisting friendships between these A-listers allowed the cameos to happen.
Background: “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” star Pitt made his own cameo in “Deadpool 2” as the Marvel character Vanisher, and the “Atomic Blonde” director reminded Reynolds of the scene.
“I just pitched [Reynolds] the idea of, ‘Why don’t you pay back Brad for the cameo in “Deadpool 2″?’ ” Leitch told Insider. “That’s really all it took. He was like, ‘I’m in.’ He was really grateful that Brad did that for him, so he really wanted to support us on this.”
Brian Tyree Henry (left) portrays hired gunman Lemon in 2022’s “Bullet Train.”AP
