Picture: Sony Pictures
Netflix’s long-gestating Cliff Booth movie just resurfaced in a surprising place, with Leonardo DiCaprio using a new interview to clear the air about whether he’ll appear alongside Brad Pitt in David Fincher’s spinoff. While the actor praises the project, calls Fincher an ideal fit, and admits he “can’t wait to see it,” he also confirms he won’t be part of the film, despite reports earlier this year that Netflix had hoped to lure him back for a cameo.
In a sweeping, wide-ranging, and terrific interview with DiCaprio, Deadline’s Mike Fleming touched on all manner of subjects, whether it’s the upcoming Heat sequel or his work on One Battle After Another, which looks hotly tipped to bring home a bunch of statues at the Oscars next year.
As it pertains to Netflix, the Cliff Booth movie got a couple of mentions.
DiCaprio is asked directly whether he was ever going to be part of David Fincher’s spinoff film about Brad Pitt’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood character, Cliff Booth. He explains that there were early discussions about him being involved, but he ultimately is not in the project. He adds that he’s excited to see it, calls Fincher “the perfect man for the job,” and notes that both he and Quentin Tarantino are big fans of Fincher’s work.
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He describes the film as the next phase of Cliff Booth’s life and expresses enthusiasm for it as a viewer, saying, “Ultimately, I cannot wait to see the Cliff Booth story, but I’m not in it. I think David Fincher’s the perfect man for the job… there’s nobody better to carry on that lineage and tell that story. I’m excited to see it.”
Reporting from earlier in the year did suggest that Netflix was keen to have the actor return for the film. The Insneider reported in June, “Netflix has offered Leonardo DiCaprio millions of dollars to reprise his role as Rick Dalton in a cameo.”
DiCaprio had previously gone on the record about his involvement during the press tour for One Battle After Another, largely echoing what he said above, saying, “I’m excited to see that movie, I think it’s the continuation of the great Cliff Booth onto different things.” Pressed further, he said, “I think they’re already filming.” Entertainment Tonight took that as an outright confirmation he won’t be in it, although we read it as dancing around the subject at the time.
DiCaprio doesn’t have an aversion to working with Netflix, having appeared in the 2021 movie Don’t Look Up. He was also tied, though not confirmed, to an Evel Knievel movie at the streamer, and at one point was working on a Varunga feature at Netflix, though that’s now inactive.
The Adventures of Cliff Booth is still in production through to at least the end of the year. The movie is reportedly eying a Summer 2026 release on Netflix, with a theatrical run also expected but not yet confirmed.
