Tag: The Movie Critic

'The Movie Critic' Scrapped By Quentin Tarantino, '70s-Set Pic Had Brad Pitt Reprising Cliff Booth Role
Posted on in Film News, News

‘The Movie Critic’ Scrapped By Quentin Tarantino, ’70s-Set Pic Had Brad Pitt Reprising Cliff Booth Role

In a shocking twist of fate, writer/director Quentin Tarantino has decided not to move forward with “The Movie Critic” later this year (Sony Pictures was attached to distribute) as a report from Deadline announces the project has been scrapped entirely and the filmmaker will pivot to something else as his tenth, and final, film. “The Movie Critic” had longtime collaborator Brad Pitt attached to play a role, which the outlet claims would have been a reprisal of Pitt’s charismatic stuntman character Cliff Booth from “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.”

Other plot details were a little murky but would have followed a movie critic in Los Angeles during the 1970s that was writing for a “porno rag” and likely would have invited itself to feature the seedy underbelly of the city. There were also hints from Tarantino it would have homaged things like the violent revenge flick “Rolling Thunder,” and the protagonist was said to be similar to Travis Bickle from “Taxi Driver.” The former could have been an entry point for Cliff Booth to get involved, as that film featured two military buddies getting revenge together.

You never know; perhaps Tarantino will turn the script/project into a book instead.

This wouldn’t be the first time Tarantino has gotten cold feet ahead of production on one of his movies. You might remember that he once got so fed up with a leak of an unfinished version of “The Hateful Eight” script during the casting process that he pumped the breaks, and it was only until he did a live stage reading of the script that Tarantino ultimately decided to give the project a second shot.

Meanwhile, there have been plenty of unmade ideas in the past, who knows how far he ever got with these, that simply were spoken about in interviews that never materialized like “The Vega Brothers” movie, a fabled “Kill Bill 3” where Kiddo and Bibbi had to fight off revenge seekers, and there was even a time when Tarantino wanted to do an adaptation of the Len Deighton spy novels “Berlin Game,” “Mexico Set,” and “London Match.“

What comes next for Tarantino is a bit of mystery as a second project wasn’t on deck, and there was an expectation that “The Movie Critic” would be the filmmaker’s final theatrical feature.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News, News

‘The Movie Critic’: Tom Cruise Could End Up Appearing In Quentin Tarantino’s Final Film Starring Brad Pitt

If you weren’t aware Quentin Tarantino (“Pulp Fiction”) is looking to hang up his feature film director spurs once he completes his tenth and final film, “The Movie Critic.” The pic is set in 1970s Los Angeles and is said to focus on a cynical movie critic that writes for an unnamed “porno rag” (This could easily be a publication owned by mobsters who had a financial interest in the porn industry) that takes inspiration from Travis Bickle, the lead character from the film “Taxi Driver” alongside potential elements from the revenge thriller “Rolling Thunder.” Telegraphing a violent angle to the film, which tends to be Tarantino’s calling card with his projects. We previously learned that Brad Pitt will be taking the lead role in the film, assumed to be the aforementioned movie critic. There is an equally exciting name that could show up in the film as well.

Not too long ago journalist Jeff Sneider had suggested that Tom Cruise could be potentially vying for a small role in the final Tarantino film. And now, Variety is backing up that claim as well in a new report outlining Cruise’s new attempts to get back to acting-focused projects not just action blockbusters like his popular “Mission: Impossible” movies. Stating the actor has “had discussions” about joining the upcoming production. Again, the size and character angle for the potential role haven’t been revealed in any great detail.

Eyes Wide Shut: Hidden in Plain Sight - An In-Depth Analysis of Stanley Kubrick's Misunderstood Masterpiece (Essay) — Boy Drinks Ink

This wouldn’t be all that surprising given that Tarantino sang high praises to “Top Gun: Maverick” when he saw it and seemingly, on paper, the two cinephiles could be a great pairing. Of course, Crusie isn’t a stranger to working with famed Oscar-caliber directors like Tarantino. Some of his previous directors include Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Thomas Anderson, and the late iconic Stanley Kubrick on the thriller “Eyes Wide Shut.”

Pitt and Tarantino had worked together before on “Inglorious Basterds” and “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” with the latter earning him a Best Supporting Actor statue at the Oscars. Cruise and Pitt co-starred in the vampire drama “Interview With A Vampire” based on the Anne Rice novel of the same name. More big names are expected to be mentioned for parts in the film and we’ll have to wait until we learn if Cruise ultimately takes a part or not. I also think it’s safe to say longtime muse that Samuel L. Jackson will have a part waiting for him as well.

SOURCE: VARIETY & JEFF SNEIDER

Posted on in Film News, News

‘The Movie Critic’: Brad Pitt To Reunite With Quentin Tarantino For 1970s-Set Final Film

Today, there was a big casting update for Quentin Tarantino‘s next and final theatrical effort, “The Movie Critic.” The movie is said to be focused on a film critic that writes for a “porno rag” during the 1970s in California, however, other major key details are being kept under lock and key and we likely won’t get the full picture until there is a bigger press release about the project. Now comes the big casting update as Deadline reports that Oscar-winning actor Brad Pitt has joined “The Movie Critic” in what the outlet claims is a “lead role.” But any real specifics about his character haven’t been expanded upon.

Pitt has previously worked with the filmmaker on “Inglourious Basterds,” and “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.” The latter role earned the actor his Best Supporting Actor Oscar statue. While it wasn’t a film directed by Tarantino, one of Pitt’s early film roles was a small supporting role as a stoner roommate in Tony Scott’s “True Romance,” which had a script penned by a young Tarantino before “Pulp Fiction” made him an international sensation.

Filming on “The Movie Critic” is expected to begin this year and could be ready by the end of the year if the turnaround on post-production is quick enough as the film getting a prime fall/winter release date could help its awards consideration. Then again, the report mentions a possible 2025 date instead and that Sony Pictures might be involved the studio worked with Tarantino on “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.”

“The Movie Critic” is said to be Tarantino’s final feature film and would mean that plans for things like “Kill Bill 3” or other projects he’s mused about over the years might be saved for the small screen or the books he is aiming to write during his retirement from filmmaking. One of the current television projects he hopes to do is a series version of “Bounty Law,” which is a spinoff of the faux Western series from “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood” that starred Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Usually, the casting news for Tarantino projects comes together rather quickly once the main actors are assembled. So, in theory, with Pitt announced we could be hearing about the rest of the cast very soon.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Posted on in Film News, Rumor

‘The Movie Critic’: Rumor Claims Quentin Tarantino Offered Paul Walter Hauser The Lead Role In His 10th & Final Theatrical Film

Quentin Tarantino has been hyping the next film (his tenth) will be his final entry into the world of theatrical feature film directing as he’s mused about writing more books and making series/miniseries such as “Bounty Law” in his upcoming phase of “retirement.” While we know some of the plot beats and that the title is “The Movie Critic,” we’re still mostly in the dark concerning the all-important element, the film’s casting.

The main lead of the film is said to be a movie critic working in Los Angeles (Tarantino just got approved for a $20 million California tax credit for shooting in the state) for a “porno rag” in 1977 (the year “Star Wars” was released) and is loosely based on a real person (assumed to be someone that Tarantino is familiar with). Tarantino has compared the lead character to that of the Robert De Niro character Travis Bickle from the classic NYC thriller “Taxi Driver” that hailed from director Martin Scorsese and legendary screenwriter Paul Schrader. Taking place in Los Angeles in the late 70’s will certainly give the film a different feel from other things that Tarantino has made, even “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.”

There is a new rumor that suggests at least one actor might be or have been in the mix for that lead role. According to Daniel Richtman via Patreon, he claims that actor Paul Walter Hauser had been offered the unnamed lead role in the pic before the strikes.

Hauser has been gathering steam with standout roles in projects like Spike Lee’s “BlakKklansman” and “Da 5 Bloods,” “I, Tonya,” Disney’s “Cruella,” Clint Eastwood’s “Richard Jewell,” and most recently landing an Emmy nomination for his prison drama “Black Bird” that he co-stars alongside Taron Egerton.

While it’s certainly a name that feels like a good fit for Tarantino, it’s still just a rumor at this point. As with all unsupported rumors that aren’t being echoed by industry trade outlets, take it with a grain of salt. It’s also worth mentioning that Daniel is quick to point out this information was brewing ahead of the Hollywood strikes which is an indicator this could change.

Tarantino isn’t as out of the public eye as he used to be to comment on these sorts of things and does interviews on a regular basis alongside a podcast. So, I would assume he could debunk or support this rumbling if it ends up being brought to his attention. Previously, Tarantino gave clarifying statements when the rumor of the lead character was going to be based on Pauline Kael, a noted female movie critic from the New York Times. This was quickly dismissed as inaccurate information that was circulating. It’s not like mistakes haven’t already been made when covering this upcoming project.

Despite previous working relationships with both Sony Pictures and Netflix, “The Movie Critic” is without an official studio/distribution partner which is expected to change in the very near future as it sounds like Tarantino has figured out financing for the film if he’s applying for tax credits ahead of the shoot, likely sometime in 2024 given the strikes. We have assumed since the film was first announced that longtime cinematographer Robert Richardson would reunite with the filmmaker after first working with him on the two “Kill Bill” installments and “The Movie Critic” would make this their 7th film together.

SOURCE: DANIEL RICHTMAN

Posted on in Film News, News

Quentin Tarantino Reiterates That ‘Kill Bill 3’ Isn’t Happening Due To ‘The Movie Critic’ Being His Final Theaterical Film

For ages, there had been musings from writer/director Quentin Tarantino about revisiting the “Kill Bill” saga with “Kill Bill 3,” having Uma Thurman reprising her role as Beatrix Kiddo, aka, The Bride as she fends off a wave of revenge seekers alongside her now grown daughter, Bibi. Well, with his tenth and final pic secured with “The Movie Critic” expected to go into production soon as casting is said to be on the horizon, Tarantino is seemingly pumping the breaks on all that “Kill Bill 3” hope.

While speaking with Belgian outlet DeMorgan, the filmmaker was quick to shut down potentially casting Uma Thurman’s daughter Maya Hawke, who briefly appeared in “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, as Bibi Kiddo (The Bride’s long lost daughter) in the long-talked-up “Kill Bill 3.” Stating that “The Movie Critic” is his main focus and alludes to the fact the third “Kill Bill” movie won’t be happening.

“I don’t see that. My last film is about a film critic, a male critic. And he plays in the 70s,” Tarantino told the Belgian outlet when asked about casting Hawke alongside her mother.

If you’re not familiar with the next and potentially final theatrical feature film from Tarantino, it is said to be focusing on a male film critic set during 1977 in Los Angeles and is loosely based on a real-life person who wrote for a “porno rag.” The project has been compared to “Taxi Driver” by Tarantino suggesting his lead character is inspired by Robert De Niro’s socially isolated and violent protagonist, Travis Bickle. Alongside some previous nods to the revenge pic “Rolling Thunder,” there are clear signs (such as the film’s title) that Quentin will be taking cues from legendary screenwriter Paul Schrader, who wrote both “Rolling Thunder” and “Taxi Driver.”

However, this doesn’t entirely rule out Tarantino returning to the project in the future as a potential miniseries or television series. You may remember the second film refers to the bloody Japanese samurai film “Shogun Assassin,” a key inspiration for the two volumes that was an adaptation of the “Lone Wolf & Cub” manga that was turned into a string of feature films and also cut-up to be presented in a television series format (“Shogun Assassin” being a blend of these films for the western market). In theory, given that he’s already talked up the idea of pursuing shows like his “Bounty Law” spinoff, it’s possible that “Kill Bill 3” might find a second life as a television project or even get the novelization treatment.

SOURCE: DEMORGAN