Tarantino Teases Animated Kill Bill Prequel, Vega Brothers Spinoff
Following the debut of a forgotten chapter from his iconic martial arts epic, the acclaimed director is now considering animation to bring some of his most anticipated unmade projects to life. What could be next for his cinematic universe?
The recent surprise release of "Yuki's Revenge," a long-lost segment from the original Kill Bill script, through the video game Fortnite has apparently sparked new creative ideas for Quentin Tarantino. The visionary director is now publicly exploring the possibility of using animation to finally realize some of his shelved film concepts.
New Life for Old Ideas
During a Q&A session at the Los Angeles premiere of "Yuki's Revenge," the filmmaker expressed his enthusiasm for the potential of this new medium. "I could see some world between [Unreal Engine] and Japanese anime that I could find some happy medium," Tarantino stated, according to Pop Culture News. He specifically mentioned how this approach could solve logistical challenges for projects he couldn't otherwise make. "Or, you know, between the things that I couldn’t physically do, like, say, the Vega Brothers movie, or something like that."
That long-abandoned project was set to unite two fan-favorite characters: John Travolta's Vincent Vega from Pulp Fiction and Michael Madsen's Vic Vega from Reservoir Dogs. The story would have served as a prequel, following the criminal siblings as they reconnected in Amsterdam.
Expanding the Kill Bill Lore
When asked about returning to the world of The Bride, Tarantino confirmed he has more backstory he'd like to explore. "I have a whole Kill Bill idea in my mind but I was wiped out," he admitted. His focus would be on the man himself, Bill. "I like the idea of a Bill origin. And the three godfathers that made Bill: Esteban Vihaio, Pai Mei, and Hattori Hanzo." However, he remained uncertain about the project's future, adding, "Will I live long enough to do that? That remains to be seen."
The original saga famously starred Uma Thurman as a former assassin seeking retribution against her old crew, the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, and their enigmatic leader. The group had left her for dead on her wedding day. The ensemble cast featured memorable performances from Lucy Liu, Daryl Hannah, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen and the late David Carradine as the titular antagonist.
Back on the Big Screen
Fans will soon have a chance to experience the epic tale as it was originally envisioned. First released as two separate installments in 2003 and 2004 the complete story is being re-released in theaters as a single, four-hour cinematic event. This combined version, titled The Whole Bloody Affair, is scheduled to hit theaters on December 5.
For those looking ahead, there are plenty of other major films on the horizon to keep an eye on in 2025 and beyond.