There have been rumors and rumblings aplenty the last couple months, but now the inevitable has finally been made official: Quentin Tarantino has finished the script for his 9th film. The script isn’t just without an actual title (simply referred to as “#9” for the time being), it’s also without a home. In the wake of the on-going Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment and assault scandal (which seems too light a term, given the sheer number of allegations), Tarantino has cut ties with the producer’s company. Both Mirimax and The Weinstein Company had produced all previous features, with Columbia Pictures providing assistance on Django Unchained.
Just last month as initial reports were starting to come out, Tarantino admitted in an interview with The New York Times that “I knew enough to do more than I did.” He then went on to further elaborate, “There was more to it than just the normal rumors, the normal gossip. It wasn’t secondhand. I knew he did a couple of these things.”
Tarantino was prompted to come forward after news broke of multiple allegations concerning Weinstein’s harassment and assaults became public. More so for Tarantino, it hit close to home. Not only did he work closely throughout his career with both Weinsteins, but had heard 1st hand from his ex-girlfriend, Mira Sorvino, of Harvey Weinstein’s actions, years before various articles brought light to the subject. He also admitted to knowing that Rose McGowan had reached a settlement with the mega-producer in the past. “I wish I had taken responsibility for what I heard,” he told the Times. “If I had done the work I should have done then, I would have had to not work with him…Anything I say now will sound like a crappy excuse.”
While not much is exactly known about the freshly completed script, tidbits and rumors did pop up earlier this summer. Supposedly the film partially surrounds the events of the Mason Family murders, with Margot Robbie allegedly being approached for the part of Sharon Tate. Other actors have also been in negotiations, with Tarantino himself revealing that parts were specifically written for past collaborators Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Reports also seem to indicate a tone that most closely resembles Pulp Fiction, of the writer/director’s previous works. Also of note is that the budget for “#9” is estimated in the $100 million mark, putting it in line with Django Unchained and Inglorious Basterds. A number like that may shy some studios away, but with Tarantino’s track record, there’s sure to be a bidding war. Also, such inflated budgets often reflect the possibility of large scale action sequences, not to mention large actor’s salaries. Seeing as how that echoes the last couple features he’s done, it’s none too surprising.
The director hopes to fully secure funding in the upcoming weeks, with an eye on a holiday 2018 or early 2019 release date. Depending on when production begins, of course. Given Tarantino’s tireless work ethic and the high scheduling demands of his usually star-laden cast, the film should pick up a lot of steam, once a new home is found. You can be sure that a bevy of news will start breaking sooner than later. It’ll be an interesting ride, regardless, hopefully moving past the large cloud that seems to currently be hanging overhead.
