With a title that references both the film industry and Sergio Leone, it’s hard to imagine any director better suited for the material of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood than Quentin Tarantino, and thanks an exclusive reveal from Vanity Fair, we now have a taste of the stylish, self-consciously retro picture to come.
As you can see, the film features Leonardo DiCaprio as aging Western TV star Rick Dalton, along with Brad Pitt as Rick’s stunt double and friend Cliff Booth and Al Pacino as Rick’s agent Marvin Shwarz. The role that’s so far drawn the most attention, however, is surely Margot Robbie as the Sharon Tate, the actress who was famously murdered in her own home by the followers of Charles Manson.
Other confirmed cast members, meanwhile, include Damon Herriman as Manson himself and Rafał Zawierucha as Tate’s husband Roman Polanski.
The film is coming to us this year as part of a larger trend of movies released to coincide with the anniversary of Tate’s death, and given the combination of material and director, it comes as no surprise to see that the project has already been the subject of some controversy. Tate’s sister Debra, for instance, voiced her objections last year, but has since said that she’s discussed the pic with Tarantino and has “high hopes for this project,” which is a lot more than she can reportedly say for some of the other Sharon Tate movies coming out at around the same time.
In any case, if Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained crossed the line for you, then this probably won’t be to your taste either, but for many a film fan, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will be arriving in cinemas on July 26th, 2019, as one of the year’s most anticipated releases.
