Stephen Wilson Jr.’s version of ‘Stand By Me’ never really sounded like a cover. He turned the song into his own, gave it a new audience and now it has found a pretty huge new home.

That home is as the soundtrack for the trailer for Heart of the Beast, the new David Ayer-directed film starring Brad Pitt which hits cinemas on September 25th, 2026. It follows a man and his dog, who face unimaginable challenges as they battle agains the Alaskan wilderness.

For Stephen, this one means much more than another impressive feat. His relationship with ‘Stand By Me’ began just a couple of weeks after his dad unexpectedly died in 2018. Still deep in grief, Stephen was invited to a songwriters festival where he performed the Ben E. King classic and later described feeling an incredible sense of peace, almost as though his dad was back with him. He credits that performance with helping him realise he was supposed to become an artist, not just remain behind the scenes as a songwriter.

Years later, his Live At The Print Shop version went viral, passing 18 million social views before being officially released on November 22nd, 2024. Then came one of the most memorable performances at the 2025 CMA Awards. and if that wasn’t enough, now - Brad Pitt.

There is some lovely history repeating itself here too. When Ben E. King originally released ‘Stand By Me’ in 1961, it reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Then, 25 years later it featured in the widely beloved 1986 film Stand By Me, introducing it to another generation and sending it right back up the charts to No. 9.

40 years on, another major movie is giving Stephen’s version its own moment. For an artist who spent years working as a scientist and writing songs for other people before stepping into the spotlight himself, hearing his voice soundtracking the trailer for one of biggest stars in Hollywood feels pretty special and very well deserved.

For a song Stephen first sang during one of the hardest moments of his life, his rendition has now arguably given him one of the biggest moments of his career. It’s always been more than just a cover. And now it is.

Featured photography by Laura Halse