Tarantino Names His Favorite Director: David Fincher

Quentin Tarantino dropped a line on The Graham Norton Show that made cinephiles sit up: he singled out David Fincher as his favorite director—right after himself. It was the kind of offhand compliment that doubles as high praise, delivered with Tarantino’s trademark casual confidence.

“After me, he’s my favorite director.” That short, loaded sentence says a lot. Tarantino has long admired Fincher’s precision—Zodiac and The Social Network have been called masterworks by him before—and he was also openly impressed by Fincher’s recent The Killer. So when Tarantino praises Fincher, it lands.

But the real story isn’t just admiration. It’s how this friendship of taste turned into a working collaboration. Tarantino discussed The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth—the official sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood—which Fincher will direct from a script written by Tarantino. Initially, Tarantino had imagined directing the project himself. Then Brad Pitt, whose Cliff Booth anchors the story, suggested Fincher’s name. That suggestion changed everything.

“When Brad said David should direct it, I thought, if Brad’s into it, why not?” Tarantino explained. Pitt read the script and showed interest; he and Fincher met, talked through the project, and reportedly everything just clicked. It’s a neat reminder that sometimes the most decisive creative turns come from a single conversation, or a trusted actor nudging a project in a bolder direction.

There’s also a quieter subplot behind the scenes: timing. Tarantino has long said he plans to make only ten feature films, and Cliff Booth was once slotted for him. But scheduling shifts—chiefly Brad Pitt’s commitments to the F1 project—delayed pre-production, according to cinematographer Robert Richardson. Those delays opened a window for Tarantino to reconsider and eventually hand the reins to Fincher.

Fincher’s involvement makes the sequel one of those rare cross-pollinations critics love to speculate about: Tarantino’s storytelling voice combined with Fincher’s visual rigor. If the director pair sounds like an odd couple, that’s the point—both are auteurs, but each brings a distinct temperament to tension, pacing and tone. Fans are already buzzing about how Fincher will interpret Tarantino’s dialogue-heavy scenes and Cliff Booth’s tricky moral terrain.

The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth is set to hit theaters on November 25, 2026. Whether you’re there for nostalgia, curiosity about collaboration, or simply to watch two cinematic heavyweights collide—expect something that won’t play it safe. After all, this is the sort of pairing that invites questions: will it honor the original while breaking new ground, or surprise everyone in ways no trailer could predict?

Keep an eye on trailers and early reviews—this one feels like a conversation starter for the awards season and watercooler debates alike.