Quentin Tarantino’s next movie will tell the tale of one of Hollywood’s most notorious crimes, the Manson family murders. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Pulp Fiction director has already begun working on the screenplay for what will be his ninth and penultimate film, and rumours are already circulating that Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lawrence and Margot Robbie will star although sources say Lawrence is not interested in the role of Tate.
The Manson murders
Failed musician turned cult leader Charles Manson, and four of his followers were convicted of carrying out the brutal murders of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four of her friends in the home she shared with husband Roman Polanski in 1969.
Manson later claimed the killings were part of an attempt to ignite a race war called “Helter Skelter”, a title he got from listening to the Beatles song of the same name, but was eventually sentenced to life imprisonment in 1971 where he remains today at the age of 82.
Public reaction
It is not clear yet whether the film will focus solely on the events of 9 August 1969 or the gradual rise of the Manson "family" at Spahn Ranch. Given Tarantino’s track record and the world’s fascination with real crime, some movie buffs believe that if this news is true, it will be a match made in heaven.
Others, however, are sceptical about the director’s ability to direct a film based on real events for the first time in his career.
Some are expressing their doubt on social media alluding to the fact that he is the master of cinematic violence and that such a sensitive topic should be tackled by a director who can take a more sympathetic approach.
Progress so far
The film’s title has not yet been confirmed but Harvey and Bob Weinstein, who has worked with the director on all of his previous movies, are said to be involved with shooting expected to begin next summer and studios reportedly set to receive the project before Labor Day.
In true Tarantino fashion, the director's first film since 2015 is set to be a "unique take” on the crimes that shocked the world nearly fifty years ago. Although fans are excited at the prospect of a new Tarantino movie, this news does bring us closer to his proposed end goal of ten films. “I'm planning on stopping at 10," he told Variety in an interview last year. "So it'll be two more. Even if at 75, if I have this other story to tell, it would be still kind of work because that would make those 10. They would be there, and that would be that."