Highlights
- Cliff Booth will receive a two-week IMAX release from 25 November before streaming on Netflix on 23 December
- Brad Pitt returns to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood character under David Fincher’s direction
- The story reportedly follows Booth in late-1970s Los Angeles as a Hollywood fixer
- Elizabeth Debicki, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Carla Gugino join the ensemble cast
A streaming giant embraces the big screen again
For years, Netflix and cinemas were often seen as rivals competing for attention. But the release strategy for David Fincher’s new Cliff Booth film suggests that line is becoming increasingly blurred.
The Brad Pitt-led project, written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by Fincher, will first head to IMAX screens for an exclusive two-week run beginning on 25 November before arriving on Netflix on 23 December. Rather than quietly landing online, one of the year’s most anticipated projects is getting a traditional theatrical moment first.
The move follows recent cinema outings for projects such as KPop Demon Hunters and Stranger Things, signalling a broader willingness from Netflix to let selected titles play on bigger screens before making their way home.
A familiar character enters a different world
The film marks the return of Cliff Booth, Pitt’s laid-back stuntman from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. While full plot details remain under wraps, early information suggests the story catches up with the character in late-1970s Los Angeles, where he is earning a living as a Hollywood fixer.
Notably, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton does not appear central to the story this time, shifting attention entirely onto Booth.
Netflix has also revealed a sizeable cast surrounding Pitt, including Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Peter Weller, Matt Groove, JB Tadena, Corey Fogelmanis and Karren Karagulian.
Fincher and Tarantino’s pairing may be the real event
The return of Cliff Booth is intriguing enough, but much of the excitement comes from the creative partnership behind it. David Fincher directing a Quentin Tarantino screenplay remains an unexpected combination, bringing together two filmmakers with distinct storytelling styles.
The project also allows Tarantino to release new material without it becoming part of the conversation around his long-discussed final directorial feature. With the filmmaker currently occupied with his original West End play The Popinjay Cavalier, this latest collaboration feels like a side project on paper, but one with blockbuster-level attention around it.
More than a sequel or spin-off, Cliff Booth may end up being remembered as another sign that the divide between streaming and cinemas is becoming increasingly difficult to define.
Bonnie Greer, Zawe Ashton, Gemma Cairney and guest at the "Character Breakdown" by Zawe Ashton book launch at Wild By Tart on April 03, 2019 in London, England. Photo by Joe Maher/Getty Images
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales meets American-British playwright, novelist and critic Bonnie Greer, right, during a reception for Americans living and working in the UK, at the official residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Britain, Winfield House on March 9, 2015 in London, United Kingdom. The reception was held Monday evening ahead of Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visiting the U.S. next week. Photo by Matt Dunham - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Playwright Bonnie Greer, (C) poses with her sister Regina Greer-Smith, and brother-in-law Theron Smith, after she was awarded her Officer of the British Empire (OBE) medal from the Prince of Wales, at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, November 19, 2010 in London. Dominic Lipinski - WPA Pool/Getty Images
