Earlier this month, reports of a Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood sequel at Netflix broke the internet. Luckily for cinephiles, the report was not an April Fool’s Day joke. The trades later confirmed that David Fincher will direct the OUATIH follow-up from a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino, with Brad Pitt reprising his Oscar-winning role of Cliff Booth.
With Cliff back, the next logical question revolves around Rick Dalton. Would Leonardo DiCaprio return? DiCaprio has been in talks with Netflix for a potential return, which would likely be more of a cameo than a significant role.
DiCaprio is one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood. The Oscar winner commands anywhere from $20 to $30 million per movie. DiCaprio was paid $20 million to star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, which hits theaters in September. For a cameo in the OUATIH follow-up, DiCaprio won’t be paid his normal fee. However, it’s not going to be for anything below seven digits.
On a recent episode of The Hot Mic, The InSneider’s Jeff Sneider revealed that DiCaprio has been “dragging his feet” during these negotiations with Netflix. In other words, he wants more money, which has reportedly annoyed Netflix, Fincher, and Pitt. “I’m told that DiCaprio was offered $3 million dollars for one day of shooting,” Sneider said on the podcast.
With filming rumored to begin by late summer, DiCaprio will have to make a decision soon before locking in his next project.
Per The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey, the OUATIH follow-up will be set in 1977 and should be thought of as The Further Adventures of Cliff Booth rather than a direct sequel.
Written and directed by Tarantino, 2019’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood depicted the relationship between an aging Rick Dalton and his stuntman, Cliff Booth, as they struggle to adapt to the changing times. The movie also introduces Rick’s neighbor, Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), and the impact of the Manson family.
Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood grossed over $392 million worldwide and received 10 Oscar nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor (Pitt) and Best Production Design.