Pitt to star in Winton’s ‘The Riders’ film adaptation

Scott Free Productions will begin production of the film adaptation of Tim Winton’s novel The Riders (Penguin), with Brad Pitt set to star as protagonist Fred Scully.

Edward Berger (Conclave) is set to direct and David Kajganich (Bones and All, Suspiria, The Terror) has written the script.

The Riders was first published in 1994 and was shortlisted for the 1995 Booker Prize. Winton, who is the author of over 30 books, has said it is the ‘most cinematic of all my novels’.

The story follows ‘Fred Scully, his wife and seven-year-old daughter Billie, who have been travelling together in Europe for two years’, said Winton’s literary agent Jenny Darling. ‘They bought a cottage in Ireland where they plan to settle, and which Scully has renovated by hand. On the day Jennifer and Billie are due back in Ireland after selling their house in Australia, only Billie arrives, traumatised and speechless, unable to tell her father what has happened or why her mother put her on the plane alone. The story follows Scully and Billie as they frantically retrace their steps throughout Europe, trying to find Jennifer and work out why she left them.’

Filming is set to begin in early 2026, across various locations in Europe.

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