Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has been in the works for years from the master of moviemaking, Quentin Tarantino. Initially, the Weinstein corporation was going to produce but with the unveiling of Harvey Weinstein’s prolific, alleged, sexual predatory behaviour Tarantino sought another production company. In 2017, Sony won the bid to distribute, and the production began in earnest.
When is the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood release date?
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is out in UK cinemas on August 14, 2019.
In America, the Tarantino movie is out far earlier – July 26, 2019.
Tarantino intended to release the film on August 9, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Tate–LaBianca murders.
The film is still scheduled for an August 9 release in Bulgaria, Spain, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Leonardo Dicaprio is one of a long list of A-name actors (Image: Sony)
What is the plot of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?
The only details of the plot so far read: “In 1969 Los Angeles, around the time of the Charles Manson murders, a television actor and his stunt double embark on an odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry.”
More about the movie can be gleaned, however, from the cast list.
Who stars in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?
The cast list is extensive and includes the following actors:
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Rick Dalton, an actor who starred in the Western television series Bounty Law from 1958 to 1963.
His attempt to transition to movies has not worked out and in 1969, he is struggling, doing guest roles on other people’s programmes while contemplating moving to Italy, which has become a hotbed for low-budget Westerns and is a neighbour of Sharon Tate.
Brad Pitt plays Cliff Booth, Rick’s longtime stunt double and best friend.
Margot Robbie plays Tate, the pregnant actress married to director Roman Polanski.
Tate was murdered in her home by followers of Manson.
Al Pacino plays Marvin Shwarz, Dalton’s agent.
Emile Hirsch plays Jay Sebring, a Hollywood hairstylist and friend of Tate who was murdered in her home by followers of Manson.
Damian Lewis plays Steve McQueen, an actor and friend of Sebring, who was invited by him to Tate’s home for a dinner party the night of the murders, but he was unable to show up.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: The movie is set in the tumultuous era of the 60s in Hollywood (Image: Sony)
Bruce Dern plays George Spahn, the 80-year-old nearly blind man who rented his Los Angeles ranch out to be used as a location for Westerns.
Manson convinced Spahn to allow him and his followers to live on the ranch, in the months before they murdered Tate and six others.
Dakota Fanning plays Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, a member of the infamous Manson family who obtained her nickname while living on Spahn’s ranch. She was not directly involved in the Tate murders.
Scoot McNairy plays Business Bob Gilbert, a fictional cowboy character on Bounty Law.
Luke Perry plays Wayne Maunder, an actor who co-starred on the western television series Lancer.
This will be Perry’s final role; he died on March 4 from complications of a stroke.
Damon Herriman plays Manson, the infamous leader of the Manson Family, who ordered the murder of Tate and her friends.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Margot Robbie plays the reallife actress Sharon Tate who was murdered (Image: Sony)
Austin Butler plays Charles “Tex” Watson, a central member of the Manson family who, alongside three other members, was directly involved in the Tate murders.
Lena Dunham plays Catherine Share, a member of the Manson family.
In addition, the cast includes Maya Hawke as Flower Child, Clifton Collins Jr. as Ernesto “The Mexican” Vaquero, Nicholas Hammond as Sam Wanamaker, Spencer Garrett as Allen Kincade, Keith Jefferson as Land Pirate Keith, Eddie Perez as Land Pirate Eddie, Maurice Compte as Land Pirate Mao, Lew Temple as Land Pirate Lew, Lorenza Izzo as Francesca Cappuci, Margaret Qualley as Kitty Kat, Victoria Pedretti as Lulu, Madisen Beaty as Katie, and Zoë Bell as a stunt coordinator’s wife.
Mike Moh plays Bruce Lee, who choreographed fight scenes for The Wrecking Crew, which starred Sharon Tate.
Following the Tate murders, Lee attended her funeral and was also privately investigated.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: The trailer will be out online next week (Image: Sony)
Rafał Zawierucha plays Polanski, the acclaimed filmmaker and Tate’s husband, who was in Europe working on a film when she was murdered.
Costa Ronin plays Wojciech Frykowski, the screenwriter and friend of Polanski, who, alongside his lover Abigail Folger, was murdered in Tate’s home by followers of Charles Manson.
Samantha Robinson plays Folger, Frykowski‘s lover, as well as heiress to the Folger coffee fortune. She was murdered in Tate’s home by the followers of Manson.
Rumer Willis plays Joanna Pettet, an actress and friend of Tate, who had lunch at her home, mere hours before the murders took place.
Dreama Walker as Connie Stevens plays an actress who lived near Sharon Tate.
Additionally, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Kurt Russell, Timothy Olyphant, James Marsden, Michael Vincent McHugh, Julia Butters, James Remar, Martin Kove, Brenda Vaccaro, Nichole Galicia, Craig Stark, Marco Rodríguez, Ramón Franco, Raul Cardona, Danny Strong, Sydney Sweeney, Clu Gulager, Mikey Madison, Inbal Arimav, Natalie Cohen, Rachel Redleaf, Kansas Bowling, Parker Love Bowling, Daniella Pick, and Rebecca Rittenhouse have all been cast in unspecified roles.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: Brad Pitt stars in the cast alongside Dicaprio and more (Image: Sony)
Is there a trailer for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?
The trailer for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will be released online next week.
Keep your eyes on this space to see the first trailer.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is out in cinemas on August 14, 2019.