As you know, Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard star in Allied, due out November 23. That’s around US Thanksgiving. That’s a favourable movie release date. It means they have some hopes for it at the box office and, perhaps, for awards consideration. Allied is about two spies who are married to each other and then, maybe, have to turn on each other. The similarities between Allied and Mr & Mrs Smith are obvious. Mr & Mrs Smith created Brange and sad Jennifer Aniston. Which is why many are trying to believe that the same thing happened between Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard on Allied. There are even rumours now that Marion is carrying Brad’s baby. And Page Six reported yesterday that Angelina hired a private investigator who busted Brad with Marion on set. As I wrote yesterday, Brad Pitt cheating on Angelina with Marion is not the story here. But I can see why it’s the easy story so many people are so willing to believe. Which is why the Allied marketing team decided to release a new trailer yesterday, capitalising on the speculation around the film’s lead couple, and leaning into the gossip about Brad and Marion with a preview focusing on their characters’ romance.


Savage marketing move. And I like it.

Not only because someone decided to take a risk at work today but also because it exposes, once again, the mercenary nature of Hollywood. Hollywood is, always, first and foremost, a business. It’s a business that banks on dreams and heartbreak. And in Hollywood you can always make business from the mess of your life.