Earlier, it was in the news that Quentin Tarantino would make his 10th and final film The Movie Critic starring Brad Pitt, but recently it was revealed that it will no longer serve as his last film. According to Deadline, the project despite gaining momentum, was scrapped because Tarantino has simply had a change of heart. Tarantino talked briefly about The Movie Critic before an audience at the Cannes Film Festival last year, saying, “I can’t tell you guys [anything] until you see the movie. I’m tempted to do some of the character’s monologues right now, but I’m not going to. Maybe if there were less video cameras. You just have to wait and see.”

This movie was a Once Upon a Time in Hollywood sequel and Pitt had been in talks to star in the film as his Once Upon a Time in Hollywood character Cliff Booth. Per the THR report, The Movie Critic is set in Los Angeles in the 1970s and revolves around a female lead. Pitt won his first Oscar for his performance as Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. But, the cancelation of the follow-up movie happened due to one specific reason. 

What was that one major issue The Movie Critic faced before it got scrapped?

The Movie Critic was supposed to be the third collaboration between Brad Pitt and Quentin Tarantino after Inglourious Basterds (2009) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood(2019). And this time it was rumored to be a star-studded one. It was in the news that many past Tarantino favorites were up to take part. Though no studio was attached to the film, Sony was at the forefront. 

Quentin Tarantino fans were buzzing with excitement in March 2023. The legendary director announced the completion of his tenth and final film, “The Movie Critic.”  Slated for filming later that year, details about the project remained shrouded in secrecy. Rumors swirled about the cast, potential inspirations, and even connections to Tarantino’s past works. However, those dreams were dashed in early 2024 when Tarantino scrapped the project entirely.

Pitt’s role as stuntman Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood had become iconic, and fans were eager to see him reprise this character.

With this connection established, fans naturally assumed Leonardo DiCaprio would return as Rick Dalton. Since Cliff Booth was not just Rick’s stunt double but also his personal assistant and driver, it seemed unlikely that Cliff’s story could continue without Rick Dalton.

However, despite the enthusiasm surrounding the project, Tarantino ultimately decided to shelve it. The likelihood of DiCaprio reprising his role as Rick Dalton, coupled with his known aversion to sequels, posed a significant obstacle to the film’s execution. Throughout his illustrious career spanning over three decades, DiCaprio had steadfastly avoided revisiting characters in sequels, making his return uncertain.

Why Leonardo DiCaprio never did a sequel?

While most famous actors working today have dabbled in at least one follow-up film in their time, Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the major exceptions. Rather than reprise any role, DiCaprio loves a new challenge. 

“To me, every movie that I’ve done has been its own piece of individual art,” the 41-year-old The Revenant actor told Variety. “That’s not to say I wouldn’t do something that has sequels. Some of the greatest movies in the world – The Godfather – have had sequels. The Godfather 2 is fantastic.”

“You read a script, it’s got a beginning and an end. It’s hard to envision that being resurrected again. It just hasn’t happened,” the Titanic star added.

Just, in case you missed the fun fact, DiCaprio made his feature film debut in horror sequel Critters 3. Since then, he has never never done any sequels. 

Meanwhile, there are some other big names, who are also there to accompany DiCaprio in this list of saying NO to a sequel. The list includes Daniel Day-Lewis, Jodie Foster, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jake Gyllenhaal, Matthew McConaughey  

As for Tarantino’s part, he has regularly saying that he will make only ten movies in his career. Regarded as one of the most critically acclaimed directors of all time, the visionary filmmaker behind classics like Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained, and more said that he would “leave a 10-film filmography.”

“I like that I will leave a 10-film filmography, and so I’ve got two more to go after this,” he said (via Deadline). “It’s not etched in stone, but that is the plan. If I get to the tenth, do a good job and don’t screw it up, well, that sounds like a good way to end the old career. If, later on, I come across a good movie, I won’t not do it just because I said I wouldn’t. But 10 and done, leaving them wanting more — that sounds right.”

It will be interesting to see following The Movie Critic scrapping, what Tarantino brings as his swan song movie.