Quentin Tarantino is widely considered one of the most unique cinematic voices in Hollywood. With his alternative scriptwriting style and genre-blending directorial touches, Tarantino’s films have all been distinctive in the way he has shaped the narratives and his characters.
One of his biggest cult successes was the Kill Bill franchise starring Uma Thurman, in which the Pulp Fiction filmmaker redefined the aesthetics of action and violence. While the role of Bill was played by David Carradine, the original script was written by Tarantino with Warren Beatty in mind. The Oscar-winning director had also taken inspiration from an iconic James Bond villain to create his antagonist, but unfortunately, this vision did not pan out as planned.
Quentin Tarantino Wanted His Antagonist To Be Like This James Bond Villain
Kill Bill directed by Quentin Tarantino was one of the most stylized action dramas that saw serious female power come to the fore with the likes of Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu among others. The film’s titular antagonist Bill, was played by David Carradine. Tarantino though, had a completely different actor and vision in mind for this particular character.
The Django Unchained filmmaker had veteran Hollywood star Warren Beatty in mind for the role as per the original script. In addition, the character was also fashioned very differently as Tarantino had originally taken inspiration from iconic James Bond villains with specific reference to the chilling Ernst Stavro Blofeld who was first seen in 1961’s Thunderball, and later played by Christoph Waltz in Spectre.
Neither the original script nor the Beatty’s involvement materialized. Speaking to The Playlist (via Farout Magazine), Tarantino looked back on the initial narrative and reminisced about the possibilities of having Beatty as a James Bond-esque villain on board.
“It was really interesting reading Kill Bill again, that first draft because that’s the Warren Beatty version. He’s much more of a James Bond-type of character. Like James Bond as [villain Ernst Stavro] Blofeld, basically. That guy never got portrayed.”
The Oscar-winning filmmaker confessed that he was reluctant to pitch the character to Beatty at the time, as he felt that the seasoned actor would look quite ridiculous in the part.
Also Read: 25-Year-Old Quentin Tarantino Sold True Romance Script For Less Than a Cab Driver’s Yearly Salary
Will Quentin Tarantino Make Kill Bill 3?
Kill Bill Vol 2 and 3 have been spoken of by Quentin Tarantino as two single parts of a whole film. The huge success of both installments got fans excited about a Vol 3. Tarantino himself hinted at this possibility in 2021, when he spoke about the probable development of a relationship between Uma Thurman’s character and her daughter many years later.
But two years hence, with the director announcing that his upcoming film The Movie Critic would be his swansong in Hollywood, the idea of taking another Kill Bill narrative forward was squashed once and for all. Speaking to the Flemish newspaper De Morgen (via Euronews), Tarantino said,
“I don’t see that happening. My last film is about a film critic, a male critic and it’s set in the 70s,”
Now all eyes will be on the filmmaker’s final effort in Hollywood, and audiences will be expecting to witness the quintessential Tarantino magic one last time.
