Quentin Tarantino’s The Movie Critic Was a Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood ‘Sequel or Prequel’

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Quentin Tarantino’s The Movie Critic Was a Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood ‘Sequel or Prequel’

Quentin Tarantino‘s The Movie Critic has reportedly been canceled. But if it wasn’t, the director’s planned tenth and final movie may have been a Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood sequel or prequel.

The Movie Critic was highly anticipated, as it was expected to be Tarantino’s last film in the director’s chair. But a Deadline report has now claimed that he’s going back to the drawing board, having dropped the film entirely, and another report has suggested that the canceled film was poised to be a sequel/prequel to 2019’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, due to one particular casting choice.

Tarantino doesn’t usually take on sequels and even considers the two volumes of Kill Bill as one big film. But things could have changed with The Movie Critic, as Brad Pitt was in talks to reunite with the director for a third time after Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood and Inglourious Basterds, allegedly reprising his role as stuntman Cliff Booth.

Brad Pitt could have returned as Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s The Movie Critic

As per sources close to The Hollywood Reporter, Tarantino’s script for The Movie Critic morphed from its original premise, with the director planning to have Brad Pitt return as Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood’s Cliff Booth. Pitt was previously attached to the project back in February, though it was unclear who he’d portray in the movie.

Pitt’s role as Booth in the 2019 box office hit was highly praised, and the character had an extensive backstory published in Tarantino’s 2021 novelization of the film.

The narrative of Sony’s The Movie Critic was set in 1977 California. So, it would have likely been a sequel to Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, which was set in 1969. But how it would have involved Booth hasn’t been revealed — the novelization took place after the events of the movie, so The Movie Critic could have potentially adapted the book.

Since Tarantino has left the project entirely and is reportedly moving on to a completely different movie, we may not find out about the details of The Movie Critic’s connection to the 2019 hit any time soon.

Besides Pitt, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood starred Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, and Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate in the lead. Other cast members involved were Timothy Olyphant as Jim Stacy, Emile Hirsch as Jay Sebring, and Margaret Qualley as ‘Pussycat.’