After quite a bit of back and forth on the matter, it has been announced that Quentin Tarantino’s new film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival later this month. The film was desired by the festival’s programmers, but there was some question over whether it would be completed in time. And now we know Tarantino’s about to lock picture on his ninth film.

Tarantino is something of a Cannes regular, having won the Palme d’Or for Pulp Fiction and showcasing both Death Proof and Inglourious Basterds in competition over the years. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will be playing in competition, so Tarantino will be up for the big prize once more.

The original film takes place in the summer of 1969 and follows a Western TV star named Rick (Leonardo DiCaprio), who’s struggling to find relevance in the changing Hollywood landscape, and his laid-back stunt double Cliff, played by Brad Pitt. The two cross paths with a number of familiar faces over the course of the film’s events, including a rising star named Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who would meet a tragic end later that year.

Once Upon a Time is notable for a number of reasons: not just the exciting team-up of DiCaprio and Pitt, but also the fact that it’s Tarantino’s first film not produced by Harvey Weinstein in a long while (for obvious reasons). Instead, Harry Potter producer David Heyman took the lead and they set the film up at Sony Pictures instead of Tarantino’s usual Weinstein Company/Miramax release.

Heyman recently clarified that the film is not a “Manson murders” movie and went so far as to assert that this is Tarantino’s most personal film yet. If the filmmaker does indeed stick with his plan to make only 10 movies and then retire, this is his penultimate effort.

First reactions to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will arrive later this month, following the splashy world premiere. The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 14th to May 25th.

Source: Collider