Quentin Tarantino’s latest movie has been given a new, probably better release date. The director recently started production onOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood, which will at least be tangentially related to the Manson family murders. Previously, Sony had dated the movie for July 11, 2025, which will mark the 50th anniversary of actress Sharon Tate’s death, who was one of Charles Manson’s victims. Avoiding controversy, Sony has shifted the release up by a couple of weeks. If nothing else, that means we get to see it sooner.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywoodis now scheduled to hit theaters on August 20, 2025. According to unnamed insiders, the release date change didn’t have anything to do with avoiding controversy over the previous release date. The reasoning had to do with providing the movie a little more time in theaters over the summer. Sony expects this movie to be a big hit, which is probably why this movie isn’t coming out closer to awards season. They see this is a big moneymaker and a potential late summer box office draw. Tarantino’s new movie won’t see any direct competition on that date as of yet, but Disney’s live-actionThe Lion Kingopens just a week prior.
Even though there are going to be connections to Manson in this movie, that’s not whatOnce Upon a Time in Hollywoodis going to be about. The movie is said to be closer toPulp Fictionand will take place at the height of hippie Hollywood in 1969. It centers on Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a former star of a popular TV Western, and his longtime friend and stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) who are having a difficult time navigating a Hollywood landscape that has changed dramatically.
Not only isQuentin Tarantinobringing Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio together for the first time ever, but the cast is stacked from top to bottom. The cast also includes Dakota Fanning, Luke Perry, Damian Lewis, Emile Hirsch, Clifton Collins Jr., Keith Jefferson, Nicholas Hammond, Burt Reynolds, Timothy Olyphant, Kurt Russell, Michael Madsen and Tim Roth. Sharon Tate will be played by Margot Robbie, who is neighbors with Rick Dalton in the movie. Production is underway onOnce Upon a Time in Hollywoodcurrently.
Sony also made a few more moves on their release calendar. Greta Gerwig’s recently announced new adaptation ofLittle Womenis now scheduled for an awards-friendly Christmas Day 2019 release. The studio also firmed upZombieland 2for an August 20, 2025, release and Vin Diesel’s Valiant Comics adaptationBloodshotis now set for August 11, 2025.Slender Man, which has hardly been promoted at all, also moved up by two weeks, with a debut set for August 10 of this year. Lastly, Matthew McConaughey’sWhite Boy Rickis now getting a full wide release on September 14, as opposed to first arriving in select theaters. This news comes to us courtesy ofThe Hollywood Reporter.
