Quentin Tarantino reveals his plans to direct an eight-episode television series. Tarantino, one of the most influential and recognizable filmmakers of the last several decades, has left his stamp on cinema with films like Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Inglourious Basterds. But with increased uncertainty about what his future in movies will look like, there have been consistent reports of Tarantino being attached to television shows. His name has been linked with the Justified revival and a drama called Bounty Law, which was inspired by his film Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.
Now, according to Variety, more details have been revealed about Tarantino's television plans. While promoting his new book, Cinema Speculation, and speaking at an event, the acclaimed director mentioned that he plans to shoot an eight-episode series sometime in 2023. Tarantino didn't specify any story or production details, so it is unclear whether he's referring to the Justified reboot or a new project beyond that. But if it does move forward, it wouldn't be Tarantino's first foray into the episodic medium.
Quentin Tarantino Has Already Directed Some Very Memorable TV Episodes
Tarantino has previously directed two episodes of television, stepping behind the camera for some of the most successful procedural dramas of all time and imbuing the series with his own sensibilities. First, in 1995, he helmed the ER season 1 penultimate installment, "Motherhood." The story sees the characters interacting with Mother's Day in their own way. Noting that he liked the style of the NBC series, Tarantino would later reflect that he found that producers had a larger say in television than the directors. Still, he found his way around that to an extent. Tarantino would only film one take of each ER scene, so there would be less room to edit and trim down his work.
A decade later, in 2005, Tarantino would have a bigger impact when he helmed an episode of CSI. The filmmaker also contributed to the story, which was told in two volumes. The episode, titled "Grave Danger," drew comparisons to Kill Bill and even echoed some of its dialogue. There was also a lot of focus on the director's preferred flourishes, as in the nonlinear structure and a black-and-white autopsy scene. Tarantino was nominated for an Emmy for his directing, and "Grave Danger" is considered a high point for CSI.
What Does This Mean For Tarantino's Ten Movie Plan?
Over the past few years, the director has occasionally spoken of his plan to retire from filmmaking after ten movies. He's given more than one reason for this, saying that he wants to exit on a high note, but he's also mentioned how the film industry has changed, citing the embrace of digital over film projection. It remains to be seen what happens on that front, but television could potentially provide an avenue for Tarantino to occasionally check in and craft the kinds of stories that most interest him.