Cliff Booth Sequel: Tarantino Credits Fincher for Saving His Script
The director wrote the 1977-set story but handed the reins to David Fincher, who described Brad Pitt as the sole authority on the character's soul.
By Rebecca Foster ·
Quentin Tarantino spent years wrestling with the fate of Cliff Booth, the stuntman character that earned Brad Pitt an Academy Award for best supporting actor in 2019. After writing a script to continue the story, Tarantino decided not to direct the film himself, a choice he described as a source of personal guilt.
The project, titled "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth," will premiere in IMAX theaters on Nov. 25. Tarantino told Empire that Pitt was the primary person he felt he was letting down by stepping away from the director's chair. "I felt bad about that," Tarantino said, noting that Pitt was reportedly disappointed about not playing the role under his longtime collaborator's vision.
David Fincher stepped in to direct, bringing a history of working with Pitt on films including "Seven," "Fight Club," and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." Tarantino recalled the initial shock of Fincher's interest, saying he felt he could have been knocked over by a feather. He admitted to being nervous during early conversations, comparing his behavior to a man trying to seduce a woman while carefully avoiding saying the wrong thing.
Tarantino viewed Fincher's commitment as a validation of his writing. He noted that while he has respect as a screenwriter, many assume he only writes for his own directing style. Fincher spending a year-and-a-half on the material, Tarantino argued, proved the strength of the page itself.
The film moves the timeline from 1969 to 1977. In this new era, Booth works as a studio fixer in Hollywood. Fincher highlighted a unique dynamic on set, observing that Pitt knew the character better than anyone else involved in the production.
Fincher explained that this depth of knowledge meant Pitt could withstand intense directorial questioning without wavering. "He was like, 'No, no, no. I got this,'" Fincher said, describing Pitt as a steady presence who understood the core of the role despite the new narrative direction.
