Quentin Tarantino’s debut fictional novel, based on the film Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood, is set for release on June 29.

The book promises to expand on the story originally told in the 2019 movie. Characters Rick Dalton - the washed-up TV star portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio - and Cliff Booth - Dalton’s stunt double, played by Brad Pitt - will have their lives both before and after the film’s events examined in further detail.

“In the seventies movie novelizations were the first adult books I grew up reading. And to this day I have a tremendous amount of affection for the genre,” Tarantino explained to Deadline in November, when the project was initially announced. “So as a movie-novelization aficionado, I’m proud to announce Once Upon a Time In Hollywood my contribution to this often marginalized, yet beloved sub-genre in literature. I’m also thrilled to further explore my characters and their world in a literary endeavor that can (hopefully) sit alongside its cinematic counterpart.”

According to publisher Harper-Collins’ website, the novel will be available as a 224 page paperback, e-book or 720 minute audiobook. No information was given as to who would narrate the latter edition.

Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood had a run time of 161 minutes, but there was reportedly a 20 hour cut of the film that Tarantino eventually whittled down to the final. It seems likely that some of the material edited from the movie will appear in the new novelization. Tarantino was nominated for three Academy Awards for his work on Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood: Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay. He lost in all three categories to the film Parasite.

 

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