UPDATE: Director Quentin Tarantino has just revealed the surprising reason behind the cancellation of his anticipated film, The Movie Critic. During a recent interview on The Church of Tarantino podcast, he stated that the project was scrapped because it felt “too much like the last one.”
This announcement comes as fans eagerly await Tarantino’s final film, as he famously plans to direct only 10 films in total. With Once Upon a Time in Hollywood marking his ninth, the pressure to deliver a career-defining finale has been immense. The Movie Critic, originally slated to be a high-brow exploration of the film industry during the New Hollywood era, was canceled during pre-production in April 2022 without much explanation.
Tarantino elaborated on his decision, explaining that the themes he planned to explore in The Movie Critic were already covered in his previous work. “I wasn’t really excited about dramatizing what I wrote when I was in pre-production,” he remarked. His insights indicate that he felt there were no fresh angles to explore in the narrative, stating, “I already kind of knew, more or less, how to turn L.A. into an older time.”
Despite the cancellation, there is a glimmer of hope for fans as Tarantino hinted that he might revisit the script in the future. For now, he is focused on upcoming projects including a screenplay for The Adventures of Cliff Booth, a sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, to be directed by David Fincher. Additionally, he is working on a play set to debut in London’s West End.
Tarantino also addressed criticism regarding his sensitivity about his legacy. “It’s a little crazy to listen to podcasts and hear all these amateur psychiatrists psychoanalyze as if they f***ing know what they’re talking about,” he asserted, emphasizing that he is not “paralyzed with fear” over his career’s trajectory.
As Tarantino navigates this pivotal moment in his filmmaking journey, the entertainment world remains abuzz with speculation about his next moves. Fans will be watching closely as he prepares for his tenth and final feature film, ensuring that the legacy of one of cinema’s most iconic directors will be closely scrutinized.
Stay tuned for more updates on Tarantino’s evolving career and what his next project will reveal about his artistic vision.
