Quentin Tarantino Has A New Movie – But He's Not Directing It

Quentin Tarantino is returning to the silver screen. However, the "Pulp Fiction" director isn't stepping behind the camera. Rather, he is taking an unexpected turn as an actor in someone else's movie, something he very rarely does. This isn't just a cameo either, as the Oscar-winning filmmaker is said to have a sizable role in director Jamie Adams' "Only What We Carry."

According to Deadline, Tarantino stars alongside Simon Pegg ("Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning"), Sofia Boutella ("The Mummy"), and Charlotte Gainsbourg ("Melancholia") in "Only What We Carry," which has already wrapped filming. According to the outlet, it will be Tarantino's largest role as an actor since his turn in Robert Rodriguez's vampire movie "From Dusk Till Dawn" in 1996. It's kind of a big deal. Adams had this to say about it:

"It's always been a dream of mine to shoot an Eric Rohmer-style picture in Normandy, a dream that included collaborating with an exceptional international ensemble cast and crew. It turns out that by embracing the freedoms of independent cinema, that dream has come true. I'm forever grateful to the cast and crew of Only What We Carry for this moment."

Tarantino regularly plays smaller roles in his own movies, including 2012's smash hit "Django Unchained" and his breakout feature debut "Reservoir Dogs." But starring in someone else's movie is another thing entirely. How did Adams sway him, exactly? That's unclear, but her other credits include "She Is Love" and "Wild Honey Pie!" Perhaps Tarantino is a fan of her work?

As for what the movie is about? It takes place on the coast of Normandy and is described as "a meditation on love, loss, and the quiet courage it takes to move forward." It centers on Julian Johns (Pegg), "a once-formidable instructor whose former student Charlotte Levant (Boutella) returns home to face the ghosts of her past." Tarantino will play John Percy, "Julian's old friend whose sudden arrival stirs long-buried truths."

This marks yet another interesting turn for Tarantino, who hasn't directed a movie since 2019's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." He had been preparing to direct "The Movie Critic" before that was shelved in early 2024. Tarantino has long said that he will stop directing at his tenth feature, and "The Movie Critic" would have been his final effort, if that holds true. For now, it remains unclear when he will get back behind the camera and what that presumably final film will look like. But he's finding other ways to stay busy, including writing several books and, now, acting in a more meaningful way.

Elsewhere, Tarantino also wrote the script for the "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" spin-off/sequel, which is centered on Brad Pitt's character, Cliff Booth. David Fincher ("Seven," "The Social Network") is directing that one. Clearly, the acclaimed filmmaker doesn't have any intention of walking away from the business, be it podcasting, writing other people's movies, or even acting, it's just that he's remaining very picky about what he chooses to direct. In any event, his inclusion as a major actor in this project instantly makes it worth putting on one's radar.

"Only What We Carry" doesn't have a release date yet, but stay tuned.