“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” Follow-Up in Works with Fincher and Pitt With a Script by Tarantino

There has long been talk of Quentin Tarantino doing something additional with his amazing cast from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, whether it was a proper sequel, a spinoff movie focusing on Brad Pitt’s stuntman character Cliff Booth, or another movie entirely that featured Pitt’s Booth. Now, it turns out, a sequel (of sorts) is, in fact, in the works, based on a script Tarantino wrote, but the man himself isn’t directing it. In fact, another ace helmer, David Fincher, will direct the film, with Pitt circling the film and even, potentially, Leonardo DiCaprio reprising his role as actor Rick Dalton.

The Playlist scoops that Tarantino wrote the script. The film is set at Netflix and has a potential summer shooting date in the offing. The Playlist writes that the film isn’t technically a sequel, actually, but a “derivative” inspired by Tarantino’s original film. This film is also not the other movie Tarantino was working on that was said to include Pitt’s Cliff Both, The Movie Critic, which was also set in the 1970s and was said to focus on a movie reviewer for a porn magazine. That, for a while, was supposed to be Tarantino’s 10th and final film.

So how did Fincher become involved? According to one of The Hollywood Reporter‘s sources, Pitt really liked some parts of Tarantino’s script and asked him whether he’d let someone else direct it. Tarantino said it depended upon who that director was, and when Pitt returned with Fincher, someone he’d worked with on Se7en, Fight Club, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Tarantino said yes. Fincher has an exclusive deal with Netflix, so the film moved there.

It gets more interesting. Because of Tarantino’s unique deal and position within Hollywood, he has an ownership stake in Once Upon a Time, which Sony financed and released in 2019. That stake increases every year for 20 years, at which point the movie reverts to him. Part of that deal is that Tarantino owns the characters in the movie while Sony retains the movie itself. This is possibly why Fincher’s film isn’t a sequel or prequel, but it can use Pitt’s Booth, and, potentially, other characters from Once Upon a Time. 

We’ll share more when we know more, including whether Leonardo DiCaprio or Margot Robbie find their way to the new film.

Featured image: Brad Pitt star in Columbia Pictures “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”