Quentin Tarantino surprised AFI Fest attendees at the TCL Chinese Theatre by screening the first 17 minutes of The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, a 1977-set project directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt.
The Bottom Line
- The 17-minute preview screened without warning following an AFI Fest screening, with Tarantino asking audience members to clear their phones and no plans for online release.
- The narrative picks up in June 1977, casting Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth not as a stuntman, but as a projectionist at Tarantino’s actual Los Angeles venue, the New Beverly Cinema.
- David Fincher trimmed the initial 230-page script down by 60 pages, with Netflix scheduled to release the feature in IMAX and select theaters on November 25, 2026, before hitting streaming on December 23, 2026.
Tarantino Unveils the Project at TCL Chinese Theatre
The surprise screening unfolded following an industry event at the TCL Chinese Theatre. When Rotten Tomatoes host Jacqueline Coley asked about the status of the project during the post-screening conversation, Tarantino bypassed the usual industry chatter. “We could talk a little bit about The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, or I could just show you the first 17 minutes,” he told the crowd, according to Variety and Deadline.
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Director David Fincher sat in the audience. According to What’s on Netflix, Tarantino instructed the room to put away their mobile devices, ensuring the footage remained entirely offline. Gold Derby noted that prior to this unannounced screening, the project had only been teased via brief promotional spots and standard trailers.
Inside Booth’s New Life at the New Beverly Cinema
The newly revealed footage drops the audience into June 1977. IndieWire and Gold Derby reported that the story opens inside the New Beverly Cinema, where Cliff Booth operates the projection booth. In a meta-cinematic touch that drew immediate laughter from the audience, the projection screen behind him displays a fictional blaxploitation film titled Soul Brothers Die Hard, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. TheWrap noted that Booth mechanically recites the film’s dialogue word for word while managing the reels.
The official logline clarifies that when Booth isn’t working as a bartender or projectionist, he operates as a fixer. This iteration leans closer to the colder, more anti-social protagonist found in Tarantino’s original novelization rather than the affable stuntman depicted in the 2019 feature film. IndieWire observed stylistic echoes of Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler in the gritty introduction.
| Project Detail | Production Fact |
|---|---|
| Setting | Los Angeles, June 1977 (Eight years after the original film) |
| Primary Locations | New Beverly Cinema, AM Radio Station, Pawnshop |
| Initial Script Length | 230 pages (trimmed by 60 pages under Fincher) |
| Theatrical Release Date | November 25, 2026 (Including IMAX) |
| Streaming Debut Date | December 23, 2026 on Netflix |
Fincher’s Cuts and the Literary Roots of the Project
The project shifts creative dynamics by pairing Tarantino’s writing with Fincher’s direction. Empire revealed that Fincher initially received a sprawling 230-page draft and subsequently excised 60 pages, remarking that the draft essentially amounted to two full-length films. Tarantino explained his decision to hand over directorial duties quite simply: as he ages, writing serves as a more fitting medium.
The supporting cast features Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Peter Weller—who portrays Cliff’s pawnshop-owning father—Karren Karagulian, and Corey Fogelmanis. In a final detail from the opening sequence reported by TheWrap, two men approach Booth outside the New Beverly to unload stolen merchandise, including an Academy Award for Best Director—a prestigious accolade neither the writer nor the director of this universe has received, despite multiple nominations.
