The first trailer for Quentin Tarantino‘s hugely anticipated Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has finally landed online this week and transports Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio back to the 60s. Specifically, the year 1969.
Though this preview doesn’t do a whole lot to clear up any plot details, it does give us the basic premise and from what we can see, Once Upon a Time centers on aging Western TV star Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) and his friend and stunt double Cliff Booth (Pitt), who set out on an odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry.
What’s interesting about this though is that their story unfolds around the time of the Manson Family murders, with Margot Robbie showing up as Sharon Tate. How everything will tie together remains to be seen, but this first look at Once Upon a Time certainly paints an intriguing picture and promises another electrifying QT flick.
As with Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained before it, Once Upon a Time seems to revel in the style of its period, evoking a rush of nostalgia for 1969 Hollywood that the film may well seek to subvert. Bruce Lee even makes a quick appearance in the new trailer, as played by Mike Moh, while Damian Lewis is billed as the legendary Steve McQueen. Moreover, the Sergio Leone reference in the title doesn’t lie, as the film-within-a-film footage brings a little western action to the mix.
In short, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood looks to be offering another volatile blend of violence and pop culture from a director who knows what his brand is. And we’ll find out if Tarantino’s latest can live up to his reputation when it arrives in theaters on July 26th, 2019.