In a surprising turn of cinematic events, Netflix is producing a sequel to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Brad Pitt will return to play Cliff Booth. But don’t expect this to be a traditional sequel.
According to new intel from The Big Picture podcast, this next chapter is shaping up to be a unique continuation. Podcast host Sean Fennessey revealed:
“This probably should not be thought of as a sequel. This should be thought of more of a follow-up that’s connected to but not the same as — the example that was cited to me was, think about how A Big Sleep, the Raymond Chandler adaptation starring Humphrey Bogart, is in the same world as Farewell, My Lovely, the 1975 Robert Mitchum movie, but it’s [a] different actor, different directors, different time in the storyline. They are different, they are not really sequels, they are the further adventures of [Cliff].”
So, it will be more of a spiritual successor or standalone spinoff, with Cliff Booth at the center of a new story.
David Fincher, known for his work on Seven, Zodiac, and The Killer, is directing the film, working from a script written by Tarantino himself. Tarantino writing but not directing a movie he conceived is rare, especially as he continues to circle the idea of retirement after one final film.
The film will be set in 1977, eight years after the events of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Fennessey added:
“The only other important information I have learned, that I think is confirmed, is that the movie takes place in 1977, which is roughly eight years after Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, so a different time in Cliff’s life.”
With the original film covering just three days in 1969, this jump forward opens the door to a very different version of Cliff. Presumably, Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is out of the picture, and we’re catching up with Cliff in a new phase of life, older, possibly more jaded, and maybe even a little crazier.
There’s no official synopsis, no word from Netflix or the creatives beyond these few breadcrumbs, and no confirmation on whether this new story is connected to Tarantino’s previously abandoned The Movie Critic, which also had Pitt attached at one point.
What we do know is that Pitt and Fincher have a hell of a track record together, with collaborations like Fight Club, Seven, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button under their belts, and I’m excited to see they will be working together on this Tarantino project.
