Tarantino Debuts 'Cliff Booth' Sequel Footage at AFI Fest

Quentin Tarantino gave AFI Fest attendees a surprise preview of his new film, "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth," on Friday, October 23, 2026. The director showed the first 17 minutes of the movie at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, following a screening of "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood" and a Q&A session moderated by Jacqueline Coley, according to Variety.

The new film, a sequel to "Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood," is directed by David Fincher and stars Brad Pitt, reprising his Oscar-winning role as Cliff Booth. Set in June 1977, eight years after the original, the story follows Booth working as a manager at the New Beverly Cinema, a Los Angeles theater Tarantino owns. The preview included Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in a fictional blaxploitation film, "Soul Brothers Die Hard," and Peter Weller as Cliff's father.

The sequel's opening scenes show Cliff buying stolen items, including an Academy Award for Best Director, as he begins work as a Hollywood fixer. Other cast members include Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Carla Gugino, Timothy Olyphant, Matt Groove, and JB Tadena. "The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth" will have a two-week exclusive run in IMAX theaters globally starting November 25, 2026, and will be available to stream on Netflix from December 23, 2026.

Separately, a novelization by Tarantino, "The Adventures of Cliff Booth," is expected from HarperCollins on December 8, 2026. The full 17-minute preview has not been released online. The 40th edition of AFI Fest ran from October 21 to 25, 2026, at the TCL Chinese Theatres.

The AKUSO take: A new Tarantino film, even one he didn't direct, is always news, especially with a Brad Pitt return and a plot centered around one of LA's most beloved indie theaters. This is one for film buffs and LA history fans alike.