The curtain is about to draw on the final act of Quentin Tarantino's directorial career. After years of hinting that his tenth film will be his last outing behind the camera, he reportedly has that film set. The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the legendary director is preparing The Movie Critic, a script that sources are billing as that tenth film. Filming is expected to begin in the fall.
To no one's surprise, details of the film are being kept under lock and key, but it's said to have a female lead and will be set in 1970s Los Angeles. With that timeframe, there's some speculation that the subject could be Pauline Kael, the highly-influential firebrand critic known for clashing with editors and filmmakers alike. A former Paramount consultant in the 1970s who worked closely with Warren Beatty, she was a trailblazing critic for the New Hollywood movement and, notably, played a crucial role in inspiring notable filmmakers including Wes Anderson and, of course, Tarantino. The Pulp Fiction director even published Cinema Speculation in 2022 which is a collection of essays inspired by the work of Kael.
If the film comes to fruition, it'll be Tarantino's first since his grandiose ode to the movie industry Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in 2019. That film scored a pair of Oscars including for Brad Pitt's excellent performance opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie, but it was just the latest in a string of successes throughout the director's storied career. From Reservoir Dogs to Inglorious Basterds, he's taken genres both typical and obscure and twisted them into masterpieces unique to him. Along the way, he's even scored a pair of Oscars of his own. The Movie Critic will immediately rocket to the top of most film fans' watch lists and there's no doubt he'll have movie stars of all kinds lining up to take part when the time comes.
Tarantino Feels It's Time to Bow Out from Directing Gracefully
Although he's made so many hits throughout his career, Tarantino is extremely cognizant of film history and doesn't wish to fall out of touch with the industry as he gets older. Over the past few years, he hasn't totally seen eye to eye with the industry, previously earning some backlash for commenting on the "Marvelization" of movies, including a rebuke from his frequent collaborator Samuel L. Jackson. He most recently dove into the topic of retirement with CNN's Chris Wallace, breaking down not only his own fears but how his understanding of what a movie is has changed over time, especially with the advent of streaming.
Retirement doesn't mean he's going to kick his feet up and relax, however. Once his directorial career is over, Tarantino has previously weighed leaning into writing. He penned Cinema Speculation as part of a two-book deal at HarperCollins, and he could pursue more opportunities after putting down the camera. In addition, he also has an eight-episode television series that he plans to shoot this year which would mark his first major foray on the small screen. Tarantino has also weighed becoming a playwright and taking to the theater when all is said and done.
Stay tuned here at Collider for more on The Movie Critic. See the trailer for his previous film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, below.