Brad Pitt returns as Cliff Booth in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ follow-up

Brad Pitt is stepping back into his Oscar-winning role as Cliff Booth, the tough-as-nails stuntman from Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" — but this time, under the direction of David Fincher. The new film, titled "The Adventures of Cliff Booth", is currently being shot in Los Angeles and is set to stream on Netflix.

First-look images show Pitt clad in Cliff's signature sun-faded denim, golden locks, and vintage swagger, standing outside the Beverly Cinema under a 1977 Richard Pryor movie poster — signaling the film's gritty retro setting, nearly a decade after the events of Tarantino's 2019 film.

Unlike Tarantino's self-contained cinematic universe, Fincher's take on Booth promises a darker, more psychological journey. "This is something Quentin Tarantino wrote. He didn't want to direct it at this time, so our friend David Fincher stepped in," Pitt confirmed during a promotional event for his upcoming racing film "F1". He described it not as a sequel but "an episode in the character's life."

Originally penned by Tarantino as a standalone feature — possibly his tenth and final directorial outing — the script was shelved until Netflix acquired it for a reported $20 million. Pitt, a longtime collaborator of both auteurs, championed its revival and was instrumental in bringing Fincher on board.

This marks the third collaboration between Fincher and Pitt, following Seven and Fight Club. Their reunion over a Tarantino character suggests a potent blend of stylised violence, existential dread, and genre subversion. With Fincher at the helm, Cliff Booth is poised to trade in laid-back charm for something sharper, more menacing, and soaked in post-Vietnam malaise.

The ensemble cast includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, JB Tadena, Corey Fogelmanis, and "Anora" breakout Karren Karagulian. While Tarantino's DNA is unmistakable in the writing, it's Fincher's direction that promises to reshape Booth's world into something colder, moodier — and perhaps more dangerous.

If "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" romanticised Cliff Booth as a relic of fading glory, "The Adventures of Cliff Booth" may strip away the myth to reveal something rawer: a man out of place, out of time, and no longer in control of the story being told.