Quentin Tarantino Wants Tom Cruise For Key Role in Manson Family Murder Film
Zack Sharf
Quentin Tarantino‘s new film is stirring up a ton of buzz as the director figures out which studio he’ll choose to produce and distribute it, and adding even more anticipation for the director’s ninth feature is a report from Deadline that says the filmmaker has spoken with Tom Cruise to play a key role in the movie. Deadline says the film has two male leads, with Tarantino eyeing Cruise for one of them.
The project is currently untitled and will be set in 1969. The script reportedly hews closely to the multi-narrative story structure Tarantino used for “Pulp Fiction,” with one of the stories expected to focus on Sharon Tate. The director has reportedly met with Margot Robbie for the role. Rumors have been swirling for months that the director has also written roles for Samuel L. Jackson, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio, all of whom have worked with him before. Jennifer Lawrence could also be joining the Tarantino family for the first time.
Tarantino’s ninth feature will be his first made without the involvement of Harvey Weinstein. Every Tarantino film thus far has been released under Miramax or The Weinstein Company, but the director said he would be finding a new home for his film following multiple allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against Weinstein. Major studios Paramount, Sony, and Warner Bros. have emerged as the likeliest candidates to produce and distribute the film.
Cruise has spent the better part of the last decade starring in big budget action films, such as his “Mission: Impossible” franchise and “Edge of Tomorrow,” “Jack Reacher,” and “Oblivion.” His 2017 movies “The Mummy” and “American Made” both bombed at the box office, which means a collaboration with Tarantino could be just the thing to get his career to bounce back.
Tarantino is looking to start production on the movie over the summer in 2018 for a targeted 2019 release.
