The Movie Critic will be Quentin Tarantino’s 10th and final film. News, casting, rumors… We take stock of this highly anticipated project!
After Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, released in August 2019, Quentin Tarantino will return to the cinema one last time with The Movie Critic, his brand new project. This will be the 10th and final feature film from the Pulp Fiction filmmaker before putting away his camera.
Indeed, Tarantino has confided that The Movie Critic will be his last film before he retires from film sets to devote himself to writing novels. For the director, focusing on the books has one main attraction:
“Once I’m done working, it’s over. Whereas with a script, you work, work, and work some more. And when it’s finished, that’s really where it starts!” The director specifies that he still loves filming, that he still enjoys it. However, “writing has this massive advantage: when everything is on the page, it’s done”he stressed in the Liberation columns in June.
What will The Movie Critic say?
At the moment, we don’t know much about the story Tarantino is preparing for us. The filmmaker, however, gave some ideas. It will take us to 1977 Los Angeles and introduce us to a male film critic. It will not be a biopic of the famous Pauline Kael, as rumors claimed.
The central character of the story would be named Jim Sheldon. This name was used by Tarantino himself when he wrote for the site of the New Beverly cinema, the theater he now owns in Los Angeles.
Sheldon is said to be an acerbic and irreverent critic working for The Popstar Pages, a porn magazine. Tarantino describes it as “Travis Bickle of film criticism”in reference to the hero of Taxi Driver, played by De Niro in 1976.
Who will be in the cast of The Movie Critic?
According to rumors circulating in Hollywood and relayed by insider Daniel Richtman, the director would have offered the main role to Paul Walter Hauser, 36 years old. The actor is notably the hero of The Case of Richard Jewell by Clint Eastwood.
The American actor also distinguished himself in the Netflix series Cobra Kai (he plays the bad guy Raymond aka La Rascasse) and the biopic Me, Tonya with Margot Robbie. Recently, his performance as a serial killer in Black Bird made an impression. The show is available on the Apple TV+ platform.
Bestimage Paul Walter Hauser
Bruce Willis in the casting?
According to other rumors, Tarantino would like to offer a very last role to Bruce Willis, who was forced to end his career for health reasons. Quentin has not yet approached Bruce’s family to talk about it, but he will completely comply with their wishes if they consider that he is too ill to accept,” an anonymous producer reportedly told the Daily Mail.
The 60-year-old director previously collaborated with the Die Hard star on Pulp Fiction in 1994. Willis played the cult role of Butch the boxer, in conflict with underworld godfather Marsellus Wallace. The artist also appeared in the Tarantino segment of Four Rooms, a sketch film released in 1995.
The Pulp Fiction duo reunited?
Furthermore, the journalist Jeff Sneider, often well informed, confided that Tarantino would like to reform the cult duo of Pulp Fiction, John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson! 30 years later, seeing the performers of Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield (Pulp Fiction) reunited at Tarantino would be very exciting.
The journalist also mentions an actress who has already collaborated with Tarantino. Uma Thurman (Kill Bill)? Pam Grier (Jackie Brown)? Margot Robbie (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)? The rumors will surely continue to circulate before the casting is made official.
A release date for The Movie Critic?
Given the actors’ strike that is paralyzing Hollywood cinema at the moment, it is not known when filming will be able to begin. Additionally, no release date has been announced yet. We will therefore have to be patient before having more information on the 10th and final film of Quentin Tarantino’s career.
During a masterclass at the Grand Rex last June, Tarantino was optimistic about filming. “I’m going to do one more version of the script because I have something important to add to it”he declared on the stage of the legendary Parisian cinema.
“But I have finished writing what will be my last film, and I should shoot it in the fall”, he indicated. However, as the strike continues to drag on, filming is not expected to begin until early 2024 at the earliest.