Sony CEO Explains Why 'Cliff Booth' Ended Up at Netflix

The reason why Cliff Booth, the sequel to Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood, is being produced by Netflix instead of Sony has finally been clarified.

In an interview with Variety, Sony Pictures chairman Tom Rothman explained that the decision was made because Quentin Tarantino was not comfortable having anyone other than David Fincher direct his script.

"We were going to make the film when Quentin was directing, but he decided he didn't want to anymore and changed his mind," said Rothman. "The only other person he felt comfortable with directing his script was David Fincher, and David Fincher has an exclusive deal with Netflix, so we weren't going to get in anyone's way." When asked whether he was disappointed that Sony would not have the sequel, Rothman replied: "Yes."

Fincher, who renewed his contract with Netflix in 2023, has been with the platform for more than 13 years, where he directed series such as House of Cards, Mindhunter and Love, Death + Robots, as well as the films Mank, The Killer and now Cliff Booth. The filmmaker has previously stated that "Netflix is the future of cinema."

Tarantino's choice of Fincher appears to have been influenced by the director's admiration for The Killer, from 2023, which Tarantino called a "masterpiece" and one of the best films of the decade. Tarantino has also publicly praised Fight Club, Zodiac and The Social Network, and even said: "I think David Fincher and I are the two best directors."