It is believed filming of blockbuster American movie Heart of the Beast, which stars the megastar, is about to begin in the Wakatipu.
The resort is set to replicate Alaska in summer in the Paramount Pictures production, which has been in development since 2017.
A public notice, advising a section of Lake Wakatipu had been exclusively reserved for about a week this month, is believed to be related to the filming, though sources close to the production could not confirm that.
Pitt, 61, is understood to have quietly arrived in the resort in mid-February, where he was reported to have starred in a TV commercial for De’Longhi coffee in the gated Oraka subdivision — formerly Lakeside Estates.
There were also rumours floating around the resort the star of movies such as Oceans Eleven, Mr and Mrs Smith, Fight Club and Inglourious Basterds swung by the New Zealand Open golf tournament, being held at Millbrook Resort this weekend, on Thursday’s opening day, although that was also unconfirmed.
Filming of the survival thriller, which also stars J.K. Simmons, is expected to take five to seven weeks, before post-production begins in Auckland.
Directed by David Ayer (The Beehive, Fury), the producers are Oscar-winning film-maker Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land) and actress Olivia Hamilton.
It is understood the director of photography is Mauro Fiore, who won an Academy Award for best cinematography for his work on Avatar.
The movie follows a former Navy Seal and his retired combat dog as they attempt to find civilisation after a catastrophic accident deep in the Alaskan wilderness.
— APL
