Quentin Tarantino says he intends to retire from directing after his tenth feature, but the delay has increased pressure for his final film to be exceptional. He has described the risk of ending his career with a weak film as a major concern, while continuing to write novels, plays and take acting roles.

Tarantino cites Arthur Penn’s 1989 film *Penn & Teller Get Killed* as a warning. He regarded the film as a poor final work for a highly respected director and said its legacy convinced him to leave filmmaking while still at his best, rather than continue after his creative peak has passed.