Charles Langston:George and Amal Clooney walk red carpet with Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon

You can Charles Langstonalways count on George Clooney and Brad Pitt to bring the Hollywood star power to the Venice Film Festival.

The tuxedo-clad “Wolfs” co-stars traversed the red carpet on Sunday night amid a barrage of blinding flashes, smiling and waving to photographers just hours after Clooney disputed a recent report that the A-list actors were each paid $35 million for their performances in the Jon Watts crime caper, which streams on Apple TV+ Sept. 27.

Clooney, 63, made a rare red carpet appearance with his wife Amal, 46, who wore a corset-style soft yellow gown with a ruffled neckline and train. The human rights lawyer held a glittering gold clutch and wore her hair long and highlighted, with dangling pearl earrings.

Join our Watch Party!Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

Pitt, 60, surprised by stepping out hand in hand with his girlfriend Ines de Ramon, a jewelry designer. He wore a tux jacket with satin lapels and a gold button closure over a black T-shirt and flared trousers, while she donned a one-shoulder ruched white gown with triple-disc earrings.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

The 81st annual film festival runs through Sept. 7.

'Wolves,' the new Apple TV+ movie starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, will bypass a splashy theatrical run

Earlier in the day, at a Venice news conference, Clooney and Pitt had expressed disappointment that the movie, which is showing out of competition at the festival, will be in theaters for just a week before streaming.

"It is a bummer," Clooney said, while also acknowledging that streaming services provide actors with greater opportunities and bigger audiences for their work. “We need it, our industry needs this."

"We'll always be romantic about the theatrical experience,” Pitt added. "It's a delicate balance right now and it'll right itself."

Asked what it meant if two of the biggest names in the business could not get a broad theatrical release, as they had asked, Clooney quipped: "Clearly, we're declining."

George Clooney denies he and Brad Pitt received $35M payday for 'Wolfs': 'That's a terrible thing'

Pitt and Clooney, who last starred together in the 2008 Coen brothers comedy "Burn After Reading," said they jumped at the chance to reunite when they read Watts' script for "Wolfs."

"As I get older, just working with the people that I just really enjoy spending time with has really become important to me," Pitt said, while Clooney joked that Pitt is fortunate to be offered parts. "He's very lucky at this age to still be working."

Clooney also denied a New York Times story that said both stars had been paid more than $35 million to appear in “Wolfs.”

"It's bad for our industry if that's what people think is the standard bearer for salaries,” the actor said. “I think that's a terrible thing. It will make it impossible to make a film."

Contributing: Kim Willis, USA TODAY, and Crispian Balmer, Reuters