As the Oscar winner gets to work on developing what’s intended to be his final directorial film, Quentin Tarantino is reportedly pᴀssing off the reins for a Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel. Tarantino’s original 2019 film chronicled the end of the Golden Age of Hollywood and told an interconnected set of stories of those involved in the film industry, namely fictional actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double Cliff Booth. Led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate, the film was a critical and commercial hit, with Tarantino planning various follow-up media.

The Playlist were the first to reveal that a Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel is in the works without Tarantino set to direct. Instead, the film is reportedly set to be directed by David Fincher, with the project focusing on Brad Pitt’s stunt double Cliff Booth, and the script is one Tarantino penned that was originally supposed to be the now-cancelled The Movie Critic. The publication’s sources also report that the film is already slated to begin filming in Summer 2025.

What This Means For Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

The Sequel Spinoff Would Mark A Series Of Firsts

While certainly not the first time in his career, Tarantino pᴀssing off the script for the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel would mark the first time in nearly 30 years since he helped write a project that he didn’t ultimately direct. As he was in the early days of breaking out with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, Tarantino memorably had a few scripts go to other directors, including True Romance and Natural Born Killers, the latter of which was also infamously thoroughly rewritten by director Oliver Stone, David Veloz, and Richard Rutowski.

For him to be willing to hand over the reins of the film to Fincher would mark a pretty promising sign for how he was pitched on the idea, particularly given the director’s similar lack of sequels. Ever since his feature directorial debut on Alien 3 became an infamously troubled production, Fincher has almost only directed original and first-adaptation projects, the sole exception being the American remake/adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. While it would make sense he would be wowed by Tarantino’s script, Pitt’s enthusiasm is sure to be a driving force for building the bridge between them.

The other major factor to consider if the deal does go through is that Tarantino may now be open to considering pitches for expansions of his other properties, including Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. There was a point in which he expressed interest both in a proper Bounty Law TV show that he had written, as well as seeing an adaptation of Lancer from Hollywood‘s universe developed into a film by Robert Rodriguez. With frequent hopes for a Kill Bill Vol. 3, an eager pitch paired with an exciting director from Uma Thurman could make such a thing happen.

Our Take On The Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Sequel

Fincher Is An Interesting Choice For The Material

Given how protective Tarantino has always been about his films, I don’t necessarily see the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel moving forward without him as a sign that it will continue to happen with other projects of his. That being said, I do find Fincher a somewhat surprising choice for the project, as he is better known in the world of thrillers, whereas Pitt’s Cliff Booth and the general world of Tarantino’s original leans comedic. However, I also believe directors should always look for something out of their norm to challenge themselves creatively, and this might be perfect for Fincher.

Source: The Playlist