Fincher Trims Tarantino's 230-Page Cliff Booth Script to 2 Hours 20 Minutes

Key points

• David Fincher cut 60 pages from Tarantino's 230-page first draft, which he described as 'essentially two movies.'
• The final film runs 2 hours and 20 minutes, slightly shorter than the 2019 original.
• Tarantino compares the new script to an Elmore Leonard paperback, emphasizing a crime-story feel over the previous film's 'hangout' style.
• Fincher focused on character collisions in 1977 Hollywood rather than plot mechanics.
• The film premieres in IMAX theaters on November 25, 2026, and streams on Netflix on December 23, 2026.

Background

The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth is a sequel to Quentin Tarantino's 2019 film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which starred Brad Pitt as a stuntman. The new film, directed by David Fincher, shifts the setting to 1977 and reimagines Pitt's character as a Hollywood fixer. Earlier coverage noted audience backlash over the film's dark cinematography in the trailer, contrasting it with the brighter aesthetic of the original.

How outlets are covering it

Empire and The Hollywood Reporter highlight the collaborative tension between Fincher and Tarantino, noting Fincher's significant script cuts. TheWrap emphasizes the scale of the original draft, calling it 'essentially two movies.' All sources agree on the runtime and release dates but differ in emphasis: Empire focuses on the Elmore Leonard comparison, while THR and TheWrap focus on the boldness of cutting a Tarantino script. No source disputes the core facts, but THR notes the contrast between Fincher's 'character collision' focus and Tarantino's 'plot-driven' description.

Why it matters

The collaboration between two acclaimed but stylistically distinct directors, Tarantino and Fincher, marks a rare union in Hollywood. The significant script cuts and tonal shift from a 'hangout movie' to a 'crime story' signal a major departure from the 2019 original, potentially reshaping audience expectations for the Cliff Booth franchise.

What to watch

The film will have a two-week IMAX exclusive starting November 25, 2026, before streaming on Netflix on December 23, 2026. Tarantino is also set to publish a novel adaptation titled The Adventures of Cliff Booth on December 8, 2026.