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Brad Pitt ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ sequel shrouded in secrecy weeks ahead of debut: ‘Hasn’t been seen’
Brad Pitt’s sequel, *The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth*, has not been shown to the film industry or at festivals, despite its release being only weeks away. The secrecy has fuelled speculation that director David Fincher is still editing, though insiders say his perfectionism makes a late finish unsurprising.
Quentin Tarantino showed the first 17 minutes at AFI Fest last month, but no press screenings have taken place. Academy screenings are scheduled for 14 November in Los Angeles and 20 November in New York; the film opens exclusively in IMAX on 25 November for two weeks before moving to Netflix. Regal and Cinemark are boycotting it over the short cinema window.
In short
- The Cliff Booth sequel has not had industry or festival screenings.
- Academy screenings are planned before its 25 November IMAX release.
- Regal and Cinemark oppose its brief theatrical run.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Keeping the film from press and festivals could protect the impact of a tightly controlled launch and allow Fincher to finish the edit on his own terms; the scheduled Academy screenings and IMAX release suggest audiences will soon be able to judge it. A brief exclusive cinema window may also give viewers a distinctive big-screen opportunity before the film reaches Netflix.
The case against
With release only weeks away, the lack of press screenings or festival showings leaves journalists and audiences with little basis to assess the film and invites speculation about whether it is finished. The two-week exclusive cinema window may also be too short for cinemas to justify devoting screens to it, which could limit access for viewers who prefer theatrical releases.
Explained simply
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film, set in 1969 Los Angeles. It follows actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double, Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt; Pitt won an Oscar for the role.
The new film continues Cliff Booth’s story and is directed by David Fincher, known for films including The Social Network and Se7en. It is due to reach cinemas before streaming on Netflix, with the gap between those releases at the centre of a dispute involving two major US cinema chains.
That dispute reflects a wider debate over how long films should play in cinemas before becoming available at home. The release plan matters to cinema operators, streaming services and viewers deciding where and when they can watch a film.