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According to recent rumors, Paul Walter Hauser was offered the lead role in what will reportedly be Quentin Tarantino’s tenth and final film, The Movie Critic, prior to the start of the actors’ strike earlier this summer.
The 36-year-old Hauser first broke through to Hollywood’s mainstream with his role in 2017’s I, Tonya. From there, he’s gone on to put forth well-received performances in BlacKkKlansman, Richard Jewell, Da 5 Bloods, Cruella, and most recently, the AppleTV+ series Black Bird.
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Reportedly titled The Movie Critics, Tarantino’s latest and apparently final project is set in 1970s Los Angeles and follows a character that Quentin has described as being “if Travis Bickle was a movie critic.”
The Movie Critic was set to begin production this fall, but the actors’ strike — which is close to entering its third month — derailed the plans and put the project on hold.
While no official casting announcements have been made, additional roles indicate that Samuel L. Jackson will appear in the film and that Tarantino is reportedly interested in giving Bruce Willis a cameo role to provide the actor with a proper send-off.
Tarantino’s most recent movie was 2019’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which starred the trio of Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie, and earned Pitt an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
If the actors and the studios can come to an agreement before the end of the year, then there’s a chance The Movie Critic will be ready to release by late 2024.
In addition to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Tarantino — widely considered to be one of the best American directors of all time — has also helmed acclaimed films such as Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill Vol. 1, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Death Proof, Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained, and The Hateful Eight.