Based On What We Know About The Adventures Of Cliff Booth, I Have A Few Thoughts On The Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Spinoff

This article contains spoilers from Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. We're assuming you've seen the movie, if you're interested in the spinoff, however if that's not the case, consider yourself warned.

Since its release more than half a decade ago, I’ve considered Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to be one of Quentin Tarantino’s best movies. While it seemed like the story of Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth was all wrapped up after he and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton massacred the Manson family, it appears that’s far from the case, because the badass former stuntman-turned-fixer is coming back.

I’m sure a lot of you have heard about The Adventures of Cliff Booth, a new spinoff that is being written by Tarantino and directed by David Fincher. But if not, we do know some things about the upcoming Netflix movie, including its director, preliminary cast, and other details. And I have some thoughts about the spinoff to share...

What We Know About The Adventures Of Cliff Booth

Okay, before I get into my thoughts about The Adventures of Cliff Booth and why I’m so stoked to see Brad Pitt and director David Fincher working together for the first time in two decades, there are a few things we should get out of the way. Here is everything that has been confirmed about the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood spinoff, according to Deadline.

• Brad Pitt Is Reprising His Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Character
• David Fincher Is Directing
• Quentin Tarantino Wrote The Script
• Production Is Slated To Kick Off Later In 2025

Thoughts I Have to Talk Out

Okay, now that I’ve mentioned the details we know so far about what could be one of the biggest releases on the 2026 movie schedule (this isn’t confirmed, by the way), I have a few thoughts I need to go over. From questions about the story to other returning cast members as well as some thoughts on seeing what David Fincher does with a Quentin Tarantino script, there’s a lot to think about when it comes to The Adventures of Cliff Booth and how it plays into the big picture of the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood universe.

I Wonder If Cliff's Story From The Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Novelization Will End Up Here

Back in 2021, two years after Once Upon a Time in Hollywood hit the big screen, Quentin Tarantino penned a novelization of the movie. Not only did the extensive novel revisit the film’s biggest moments, it also expanded certain elements and answered questions some major questions along the way. One of those was concerning the death of Cliff Booth’s wife, and whether or not he meant to kill her on the boat years before the movie took place. Spoiler: he did, but he was at least remorseful about it (just not enough to tell authorities the truth).

That has me wondering… will The Adventures of Cliff Booth include that information and other details from the novelization or does Tarantino’s script? According to Deadline, the movie will focus on the “subsequent adventures” of the character, but that doesn’t mean the film can’t revisit incidents from earlier in the timeline (the original movie had several flashbacks). If that ends up being the case, it will be interesting to see how the admittedly touching scene aboard Cliff’s boat all those years ago plays out in the upcoming movie.

Are We Going To See Other Once Upon A Time In Hollywood Characters Show Up?

The Adventures of Cliff Booth cast is already shaping up to be a great one, with Deadline reporting that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, and JB Tadena will all be showing up alongside Brad Pitt’s titular character. However, I can’t help but wonder if we’ll see any of the surviving characters from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood return, even if just for a cameo.

With Rick Dalton and Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate both surviving (remember, Quentin Tarantino took a revisionist history approach to the Manson Murders), I would love to see those two show up in some shape or form. I mean, I would love for the movie to take things to the next level and have Cliff go on the hunt for Charles Manson, again played by Damon Herriman with his menacing portrayal of the cult leader.

Though I Wish Tarantino Was Directing, I Can't Wait To See What Fincher Does Here

Yeah, I’m kind of bummed out that Quentin Tarantino won’t be directing The Adventures of Cliff Booth, but I’m honestly really excited to see what David Fincher does with the material. Fincher, who has directed a couple of my all-time favorite movies (Se7en and The Social Network) over the years, is one of the most inventive and stylized filmmakers on the planet, and the thought of him helming a movie based on a Tarantino script is like a dream come true.

The directors’ styles are vastly different from one another, but there’s a good chance these differences could lead to something awesome, unique, and iconic. However, I hope this doesn’t end up being a situation like Natural Born Killers and the heated feud between Tarantino and director Oliver Stone that followed.

Pitt And Fincher Teaming Up For The First Time In Nearly 20 Years Has Me Beyond Excited

Together, Brad Pitt and David Fincher made two of the best ‘90s movies with Se7en and Fight Club. They would reteam once again in 2008 for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but the two haven’t worked together since. One of the things I’m most excited about when it comes to The Adventures of Cliff Booth is seeing these two longtime friends and collaborators work together for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Though Benjamin Button isn’t as fondly remembered as their first two movies, these guys seem to bring out the best in one another and have a history of creating unforgettable movie characters, quotes, and moments that have withstood the test of time. Add in a script written by Quentin Tarantino, and you have yourself a recipe for success.

Could This Possibly Open The Door For More Of Tarantino's Characters Getting Expanded Stories?

It would be really cool if The Adventures of Cliff Booth leads to Quentin Tarantino writing more scripts about other characters from his various movies. Whether it’s some of his most iconic side characters or some of the legends from Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, or Inglorious Basterds, I would love to see the Tarantinoverse expanded with more spinoff films.

Just think about all the stories that could be further expanded or explored before or after the events of their respective films. Imagine seeing “what if” scenarios play out on screen. I’m not saying I want every character getting a second chance, but if done right it could work really well.

I’m sure most, if not all, of these thoughts will be addressed in due time. Until then, I’ll just keep poking around to see what else I can find out about The Adventures of Cliff Booth.