A successful showman always knows that leaving the audience wanting more is critical, and this is precisely what filmmaker Quentin Tarantino hopes to achieve with his tenth and likely final film. After bursting onto the scene with the 1992 hit Reservoir Dogs, captivating audiences, and shaping the cinema landscape with Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds, and most recently Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino has consistently emphasized the importance he places on his overall body of work. For several years, he has hinted that his next film could be his last. Until recently, little was known about the project, but we now have three confirmed key details about Tarantino’s swan song as a director.
On Wednesday, March 29, 2023, Quentin Tarantino graced the Grand Rex for an evening of discussions in honor of his newly released book, “Cinema Speculation.” During the event, a fan named Grégorian Toutain attended and took to Twitter to share three pieces of information the filmmaker supposedly confirmed. Toutain tweeted about what the movie is not about, along with other details. Here’s what the fan tweeted:
Tarantino said three things about his latest film at the Grand Rex tonight: 1. It’s aptly titled “The Movie Critic.” 2. It takes place in 1977. 3. It does not concern Pauline Kael. #CinemaSpeculation
This is an interesting development following the initial reporting by THR, which cited a source close to Quentin Tarantino claiming that his upcoming film would have a female lead and be titled The Movie Critic. This led to speculation that the movie could be about the influential film critic Pauline Kael, whom Tarantino has publicly credited for her impact on his work. In fact, during a 2020 episode of the Pure Cinema Podcast, the director expressed his admiration for Kael, saying she was like a film professor. He said:
The critic that’s had the most impact on me is, hands down, Pauline Kael. To me [she] was my film professor, and at the end of the day ended up being more influential to me as a filmmaker than any director.
Tarantino officially dismissing the rumors that his last film will focus on Kael’s life may disappoint some fans. However, given the director’s tendency to incorporate surprising plot twists, turns, and alternative histories into his movies - as seen in Inglorious Basterds and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - it’s possible that The Movie Critic could still take inspiration from Kael’s life, with the filmmaker taking creative liberties with the way events unfolded. Therefore, fans should still anticipate an exciting and unpredictable film from the iconic filmmaker.
The confirmation that Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming movie will be set in 1977 is thrilling news for fans of the visionary director’s period pieces. One cool behind-the-scenes fact is that for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino masterfully recreated the 1960s Sunset Strip (winning an Oscar) with authentic era-appropriate cars, storefronts, and extras in hippie attire. Even more impressive, he achieved this feat without relying on CGI, using some incredible tricks you won’t believe. Fans can expect another visually stunning trip back in time for The Movie Critic, and we can’t wait to see what Tarantino has in store for us this time.
Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more news confirmations about Tarantino’s potential final film, The Movie Critic. Until then, plan your trips to the theater later this year with our 2023 movie release schedule.
