Quentin Tarantino has not released a feature film since Once Upon a Time in Hollywood hit theaters in 2019, but new comments suggest his long-promised final movie is finally gaining traction.
The Oscar-winning director has said for years that he plans to retire after making his tenth film. He once lined up a project titled The Movie Critic, with Brad Pitt attached to star, but scrapped the idea in 2024 after reworking the script multiple times.
Instead of rushing into production, Tarantino shifted focus to the stage. He is now writing and directing his first play, The Popinjay Cavalier, which is set to debut in London’s West End in early 2027. Even with that pivot, he has not backed off his plan to deliver one final film.
Tarantino has directed nine films so far, counting Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2 as one project. His catalog includes Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, both of which helped define modern American cinema and cement his reputation as a filmmaker who values sharp dialogue and bold storytelling.
He has been clear that he wants to leave the industry on his own terms, with a tenth film that protects what he sees as a clean record. That goal appears to be driving his slow and careful development process.
Now, a new update from longtime collaborator Robert Richardson points to real movement behind the scenes. Richardson, who has worked with Tarantino on several films, recently confirmed that the director’s final project is still in development, though details remain tightly under wraps.
“He’s not going to talk about where he’s going [with a next film]; it’s some time next year, the exact time isn’t locked. It could be prepped in the summer, it depends on how the play does and where it goes… The next film will be a very fresh Quentin. He’s going to get out of The Movie Critic and the sequel to Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. This next chapter will be something fresh.”
Richardson also revealed he once stepped away from Antoine Fuqua’s Michael to work on Tarantino’s planned final film, The Movie Critic, after Tarantino asked him to be released from his commitments. That plan suddenly changed when the directed decided the project wasn’t the right way to end his career and scrapped it before filming began. Richardson says their schedules are lining up again, and he says Tarantino could begin shooting his final film as early as summer 2027, with a possible theatrical release window by late 2028.
The lack of specifics has only fueled speculation, but the message is clear. Tarantino is not finished yet, and Hollywood may be inching closer to one last film from one of its most influential directors.
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English (US) · 