Quentin Tarantino Still Plans to Stop Directing Films After 10th Feature

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood writer-director Quentin Tarantino maintains he intends to end his [...]

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood writer-director Quentin Tarantino maintains he intends to end his feature film directorial career after his tenth film, transitioning instead to being "more of a writer." The prolific filmmaker, whose nine-movie filmography includes Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Django Unchained, proclaimed his intention to retire from directing after his tenth movie in 2014 ahead of The Hateful Eight: at the American Film Market, Tarantino said his future would consist of "writing plays and books, going gracefully into my tender years." Tarantino echoed those comments Sunday at the 77th Golden Globe Awards, where Hollywood won Tarantino his third Golden Globe for Best Screenplay.

"The whole idea is to leave them wanting more a little bit. That's always the old Vaudevillian's way of going out," Tarantino told press after his win. "I do like the idea of a 10-film filmography, especially a 10-film filmography where I've spent the last 30 years giving everything in the world that I have to it, and then dropping the mic and saying, 'Okay, that's it.' And there's other things I can do. I can write plays, I can direct plays, I can do a TV show, I can do a lot of different things, but the filmography will stand."

His next directorial effort will act as part of "an umbilical cord link" from 1992's Reservoir Dogs through the 10th film.

"So there is this artistic intention that carried from the beginning all the way through the end, and I think that's actually really kind of cool," Tarantino said. "I think that's really terrific. Also, as time has gone on, I've been making movies for a long time, I've given them a lot, and so now I like the idea of being more of a writer. Just me, and my pen, and a piece of paper, and kind of just doing it that way."

Tarantino hasn't moved off similar sentiments expressed in 2014, saying at AFM he wants to go out on top.

"I don't believe you should stay onstage until people are begging you to get off," he said (via Deadline). "I like the idea of leaving them wanting a bit more. I do think directing is a young man's game, and I like the idea of an umbilical cord connection from my first to my last movie. I'm not trying to ridicule anyone who thinks differently, but I want to go out while I'm still hard. … I like that I will leave a 10-film filmography, and so I've got two more to go after this. It's not etched in stone, but that is the plan."

He continued, "If I get to the 10th, do a good job and don't screw it up, well that sounds like a good way to end the old career. If, later on, I come across a good movie, I won't not do it just because I said I wouldn't. But 10 and done, leaving them wanting more — that sounds right."

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