The word “what” appeared in the screenplay for The Movie Critic so often that writer/director Quentin Tarantino killed the project entirely.

Academy Award-winner Tarantino shocked the industry Wednesday night when he decided to scratch The Movie Critic as his final film. Tarantino has notoriously claimed since 2012 that he will retire after he directs his tenth movie. 

The Movie Critic looked to start shooting in August to qualify for a $20.5 million California Tax Credit before fully entering production in early 2025.

In March 2023, news broke that Tarantino was working on the film as his final project. In the year that passed, not only did pre-production near its end but significant actors were cast in and circling the would-be project.

With news of the film’s cancellation, it broke that Brad Pitt had been cast in a part that would see him reprise his Oscar-winning role of stuntman Cliff Booth from Tarantino’s previous film, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019). Reports also claimed that Tom Cruise was circling a role in February.

The casting rumor that caused the most speculation was who would play the titular role in the film. In September 2023, reports claimed that Emmy-winning actor Paul Walter Hauser was offered the part. However, after the production start date was pushed back due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes, another report claimed that Hauser dropped out of the project. Sadly, it was never confirmed who the part would’ve gone to.

The Movie Critic is set in 1977 California and follows a cynical movie critic who Tarantino drew inspiration from a real movie critic he grew up reading.

Tarantino intends to go out with a bang with the supposed final entry in his filmography and will only settle for the best idea possible. Once he retires from filmmaking, the director has suggested he’ll transition to directing limited series or plays, while continuing work as a novelist. Tarantino published a novelization of Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood in 2021.

Update Courtesy of Evan Miller

Feature Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios via Consequence.