Director David Fincher has departed Netflix’s upcoming film “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth,” a sequel to Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” following a dispute over reshoot funding.
Tarantino wrote the script for the project, and Brad Pitt was set to reprise the role of stuntman Cliff Booth, a performance that won him an Academy Award. The film had been scheduled for a brief run in IMAX theaters next month.
According to various reports, Netflix had already spent about $250 million on the production. After reviewing his first cut, Fincher requested additional funding for reshoots. Netflix Films chairman Daniel Lin, who was hired two years ago to rein in costs, approved only a portion of the amount Fincher sought, and Fincher subsequently left the project.
Fincher’s exit comes during a turbulent stretch for Netflix. The company’s stock price is down nearly 50 percent compared with a year ago, it recently laid off 1,000 employees, chief content officer Bela Bajaria has left the company, and Lin’s own future at the studio is reportedly uncertain.
A Long History With Netflix
Fincher’s relationship with Netflix dates to 2013, when he directed “House of Cards,” a series widely credited with pushing Netflix into producing original programming rather than relying on licensed content from other studios. Netflix now spends roughly $20 billion annually on original content.
Fincher went on to direct the first season of “Mindhunter” in 2017. In 2020, he signed an exclusive deal with Netflix, under which he made two features, “Mank” (2020) and “The Killer” (2023).
Competitive Pressure Mounts
The dispute over the Cliff Booth sequel comes as Netflix faces broader competitive challenges. Netflix lost its bid to acquire Warner Bros., and subscriber growth has slowed. In television viewing share, Netflix trails YouTube, 7.8 percent to 14.2 percent, and the combined share of three free, ad-supported streaming services — Roku Channel, Pluto, and Tubi — nearly matches Netflix’s own figure.
Netflix reported 2025 revenue of $45.2 billion and a net profit of $11 billion last year. YouTube’s parent, Alphabet, reported $60 billion in YouTube revenue for 2025, including $40 billion from advertising, though Alphabet did not disclose YouTube’s net profit separately.
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