Throughout his career, Quentin Tarantino has entertained numerous possibilities for sequels, both within his own cinematic universe and in established franchises, yet many of these tantalizing Unmade Quentin Tarantino sequels never reached the screen. As he approaches his rumored retirement following his still-untitled tenth film, it appears increasingly unlikely that any of these ambitious follow-ups will come to fruition.
Ambitions and Unproduced Projects
Quentin Tarantino’s professional journey has seen frequent association with high-profile sequels and adaptations, covering a broad spectrum ranging from original tales to reinterpretations of existing properties. The director has considered adapting works such as Marvel’s Luke Cage, Len Deighton’s Game, Set and Match spy trilogy, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Additionally, he once described Sgt. Rock as the only screenplay he hadn’t written himself but would still be willing to direct. Despite his creative curiosity, Tarantino remains distinctly selective, often gravitating toward projects that resonate with his artistic sensibilities.
Even with a track record of discussing numerous engaging concepts, Tarantino typically commits only to films that truly ignite his interest. After spending years shaping unique stories of his own, his brief flirtations with mainstream franchises or remakes have never resulted in a completed sequel or reboot. With his focus now reportedly set on a final directorial effort, and his desire to retire thereafter, fans are left to wonder about the cinematic worlds he once considered expanding.
The Unrealized “Kill Bill: Vol 3”
“Kill Bill: Vol 2” concluded The Bride’s quest, as portrayed by Uma Thurman, allowing her to achieve vengeance and return to her daughter. Despite this closure, Tarantino intentionally left narrative possibilities lingering, like the uncertain fate of the ruthless assassin Elle Driver, played by Daryl Hannah. Over the years, the director spoke on several occasions about developing a third “Kill Bill,” envisioning a story set around twenty years after the events of the original, with The Bride and her daughter facing new enemies out for revenge.
Although Tarantino publicly raised fans’ hopes multiple times, he eventually conceded that the physical and creative exhaustion brought on by crafting the original two films made him hesitant to pursue a third installment. To accompany the 2025 release of
“Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair,”
he permitted an unfilmed segment from his initial screenplay, titled “Yuki’s Revenge,” to be realized as an animated short by Fortnite. Intended originally for the first film, this chapter followed The Bride’s battle with Yuki, the sister of Gogo, played by Chiaki Kuriyama. This animated adaptation might well represent the closest audiences will get to a true “Kill Bill: Vol 3.”
Abandoned Kill Bill Anime Origins
Tarantino once envisioned expanding the “Kill Bill” universe through a set of anime prequels. Fascinated by the world he had constructed, he considered producing an animated feature centered on The Bride’s tenure within the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, the shadowy group crucial to the films’ plot yet only briefly explored onscreen. Another unmade project delved into the formative years of Bill, portrayed by David Carradine, charting his transformation into an elite assassin under the tutelage of the so-called Godfathers: Pei Mei (Johnny Mo), Esteban Vihaio (Michael Parks), and Hatori Hanso (Sonny Chiba). Neither anime concept would ultimately be produced, leaving these narrative gaps unfilled.
The “Double V Vega” That Never Was
Pulp Fiction’s Vincent Vega, famously played by John Travolta, was originally conceived for Michael Madsen, who earlier portrayed Vic Vega in “Reservoir Dogs.” Although the intention was to present them as twins, Madsen accepted a role in “Wyatt Earp,” prompting Travolta’s casting in “Pulp Fiction.” For a time, Tarantino considered a prequel film titled “Double V Vega,” featuring both brothers embarking on a chaotic venture in Amsterdam. As the actors aged, however, the prospect of believably casting them as their younger selves faded, resulting in the concept being quietly abandoned.
The Lost Story of “Killer Crow”
During the lengthy development of “Inglourious Basterds,” Tarantino wrote several narrative threads that ultimately did not make the final cut. One notable omission, “Killer Crow,” followed a band of African American soldiers who, after being mistreated by the military, took violent retribution against white soldiers. Tarantino contemplated transforming “Killer Crow” into a standalone film, potentially connecting it with “Django Unchained” to form a loose trilogy. Despite initial interest, he gradually lost enthusiasm for the idea, and over a decade has passed without progress on the proposed World War II adventure.
The Untold “Star Trek 4”
Among Tarantino’s most famous unrealized projects is the much-rumored fourth entry in the Star Trek Kelvin Timeline. Sparked around the period he worked on
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,”
Tarantino’s vision drew inspiration from the original series episode “A Piece of the Action,” which depicted the crew visiting a planet organized around 1920s gangster culture. The director reportedly aimed to bring an R-rated tone to the sequel, while debating whether to set it in Kelvin’s continuity or elsewhere. Despite finding the script compelling enough to consider exceeding his self-imposed ten-movie cap, Tarantino ultimately decided not to proceed, leaving the franchise’s future entries to others.
The Slasher Path Not Taken with “Halloween 6”
Tarantino’s closest encounter with traditional horror filmmaking came in the form of an offer to tackle “Halloween 6.” While he entertained the notion briefly, his idea—a story featuring Michael Myers and his mysterious handler, The Man in Black, on a violent cross-country spree—never advanced beyond the conceptual stage. Considering the overall weakness of the premise and his own lack of investment, Tarantino chose instead to direct “Jackie Brown.” Eventually,
“Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers”
reached theaters in 1995, earning poor critical and box office returns before the series was soft-rebooted with “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later.”
Grindhouse 2: A Dream Deferred
The original “Grindhouse” project, a collaboration between Tarantino and longtime associate Robert Rodriguez, paid homage to exploitation cinema with a double feature: Tarantino’s “Death Proof” and Rodriguez’s “Planet Terror.” The film is perhaps most remembered for its faux trailers, created by directors like Edgar Wright and Rob Zombie. After its release, hopes emerged for “Grindhouse 2,” including an idea from Tarantino for a retro kung-fu movie filmed entirely in Mandarin. Financial disappointment at the box office ended aspirations for a sequel, halting the momentum for further explorations in the genre.
Unrealized “Django/Zorro” Crossover
After the success of “Django Unchained,” Tarantino explored avenues to continue Django’s journey. What would become “The Hateful Eight” was initially drafted as a direct literary sequel titled “Django in White Hell,” but the director ultimately decided that Django did not fit this new story. In 2015, a crossover comic, “Django/Zorro,” appeared, uniting Django (Jamie Foxx) and Zorro (Antonio Banderas, known from “The Mask of Zorro”). A film version was planned, with Foxx returning to the role and Banderas as Zorro; however, this adaptation, like others in Tarantino’s orbit, stalled and faded away.
The “Casino Royale” That Might Have Been
“Casino Royale” stands among the most tantalizing Unmade Quentin Tarantino sequels of his career. Eager to bring a fresh approach to Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel, Tarantino sought the film rights for several years, envisioning a 1960s black-and-white setting, an R rating, and Pierce Brosnan as 007. His intention was to produce the film outside the traditional EON Productions structure. Ultimately, EON secured the rights and created their own version, launching the Daniel Craig era and leaving Tarantino’s vision unrealized.
What These Lost Films Mean for Cinema
The roster of Unmade Quentin Tarantino sequels reflects both the director’s expansive imagination and his commitment to creative authenticity. The involvement of notable figures such as Uma Thurman, John Travolta, Michael Madsen, Jamie Foxx, Antonio Banderas, David Carradine, Michael Parks, and Kurt Russell across his discussed-but-unrealized projects suggests the tantalizing scope these films could have reached. As Quentin Tarantino’s career appears to be approaching its endpoint, the absence of these sequels leaves fans and the industry with enduring “what ifs”—illustrating how his influence stretches beyond completed films, shaping even those stories never brought to the screen.
