Last week, we reported that David Fincher’s next project for Netflix would reunite him with Brad Pitt — a sequel to a film Fincher hadn’t directed, shrouded in deliberate secrecy. Now, that mystery is starting to take shape.
Multiple sources confirm that the untitled film is a follow-up to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — though not in the traditional sense. While the new feature draws from the world and characters of Tarantino’s 2019 hit, it’s not being described as a sequel or prequel. Instead, it’s a "derivative" work, written by Tarantino but directed by Fincher, with Pitt returning as Cliff Booth.
The project is set up at Netflix, with production potentially beginning as early as late summer. Leonardo DiCaprio is said to be in discussions, but his involvement is unconfirmed, as he also weighs commitments to a Paramount Evel Knievel biopic and a possible collaboration with Martin Scorsese.
According to insiders, the idea to bring Fincher on board came from Pitt himself, who was drawn to the evolving script and asked Tarantino if he’d consider passing the directorial reins to someone else. Tarantino reportedly said, "Depends on who". Pitt returned with Fincher — and Tarantino gave his blessing.
This will mark the fourth collaboration between Fincher and Pitt, following Se7en, Fight Club, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.Their creative rapport remains one of the most enduring in modern cinema, now taking a surprising turn into Tarantino territory.
As for how this unusual project was made possible: Tarantino owns the rights to the characters from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, a rare clause in his deal with Sony, which still holds the rights to the original film. That distinction is why this new project, though clearly tied to the same universe, is being positioned as a standalone story rather than a direct continuation.
Fincher’s growing partnership with Netflix continues to evolve. After Mank (2020) and The Killer (2023), he has several other projects in development at the streamer, including Squid Game: America and a Chinatown prequel series. Yet it’s this unexpected return to Hollywood — through the eyes of both Tarantino and Fincher — that now takes center stage.
There are still plenty of unknowns. The film remains untitled. Plot details are under wraps. DiCaprio’s return as Rick Dalton is uncertain. But what’s clear is this: the world Tarantino built lives on — through a new lens, and in the hands of two of cinema’s most precise storytellers.
