If you are wondering who is Cliff Booth, he is the tough, laid-back Hollywood stuntman portrayed by Brad Pitt in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Known for his fearless attitude, unusual personal history, and unwavering loyalty to actor Rick Dalton, Cliff became one of the movie’s most memorable characters. Now, Pitt is returning to the role in a new crime story that takes the character into a very different era of Hollywood.
The upcoming film, officially titled The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, is scheduled to open in select IMAX theaters on November 25, 2026, before arriving on Netflix on December 23, 2026. Directed by David Fincher and written by Tarantino, the movie moves the story forward to 1977 Los Angeles, where Cliff has moved beyond his traditional stunt work and become a fixer for people in the entertainment industry.
The return of Cliff Booth is significant because the character was originally introduced as a supporting figure in a story about the changing face of Hollywood in 1969. His next chapter puts him at the center of a new narrative involving crime, ambition, celebrity culture, and the darker side of the movie business.
Who Is Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood?
Cliff Booth is a fictional Hollywood stuntman and longtime friend of actor Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. In Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Cliff works as Rick’s stunt double, driver, and trusted companion at a time when Rick is struggling to maintain his career in a rapidly changing entertainment industry.
Unlike Rick, who worries about his reputation and professional future, Cliff generally approaches life with a relaxed attitude. He is comfortable with physical danger, rarely appears intimidated, and often responds to difficult situations with dry humor rather than visible anxiety.
However, his casual personality conceals a more complicated character. Cliff is resourceful, experienced in combat, and capable of handling dangerous confrontations. His confidence comes partly from his work as a stunt performer, where physical skill and the ability to remain calm under pressure are essential.
His relationship with Rick is central to the original film. Although Cliff works for the actor, their connection goes beyond a conventional professional arrangement. He provides practical support, companionship, and a level of loyalty that becomes increasingly important as Rick confronts uncertainty about his place in Hollywood.
The character’s appeal comes from this combination of toughness, independence, humor, and loyalty. Cliff is neither a conventional action hero nor a typical Hollywood celebrity. He is an experienced working professional who understands the industry’s less glamorous realities.
Why Did Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth Become So Popular?
Cliff Booth quickly became a standout character because he offered a different perspective on Hollywood life.
While Rick Dalton represents an actor attempting to preserve his career, Cliff represents the people who work behind the scenes to keep productions running. Stunt performers often take physical risks without receiving the same public attention as the stars they support. Cliff’s character gives that world a distinctive personality.
Brad Pitt’s performance also helped establish the character’s appeal. His understated delivery, physical confidence, and comic timing make Cliff entertaining without requiring constant dialogue or dramatic speeches.
The character’s willingness to confront danger is another important element. Cliff does not behave like someone who needs to prove himself in every situation. Instead, he often appears most comfortable when other people are uncertain about what to do.
His storyline also connects personal loyalty with a broader portrait of an industry undergoing change. Through Cliff and Rick, the original film examines the difference between the glamorous image of Hollywood and the difficult professional realities facing people who work within it.
Pitt won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film, further cementing Cliff Booth as one of his most recognizable roles.
For readers interested in the original movie’s background, the official Academy Awards website provides details about the 2020 ceremony and Pitt’s win.
What Happened to Cliff Booth in the Original Movie?
In Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Cliff’s story unfolds alongside Rick Dalton’s efforts to remain relevant in an industry increasingly interested in new performers and changing styles of filmmaking.
Cliff spends much of his time helping Rick with everyday responsibilities, including driving him around Los Angeles and assisting with his work. His own circumstances are less glamorous, but he remains comfortable with his position and does not appear particularly interested in pursuing celebrity status.
One of the film’s defining storylines involves Cliff’s encounter with members of the Manson family. The events unfold within Tarantino’s fictionalized version of 1969, which deliberately changes aspects of real Hollywood history.
The film’s ending establishes an alternate historical outcome rather than presenting a strictly factual account of the period. That distinction matters when considering the new movie, which continues the fictional story of Cliff Booth rather than documenting the real lives of historical figures.
Cliff’s experience in the original film provides the foundation for his later career. He has already demonstrated that he can handle volatile situations, recognize danger, and operate comfortably around people whose public reputations do not necessarily reflect their private behavior.
Those qualities become particularly relevant when he returns in 1977 as a Hollywood fixer.
The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth: What Is the New Movie About?
Official title: The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth
Release: November 25, 2026, in IMAX; December 23, 2026, on Netflix
The new Cliff Booth movie follows the character approximately eight years after the events of Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. Instead of concentrating on his work as a stuntman, the story explores his activities as a fixer who handles difficult situations for Hollywood’s powerful, famous, and occasionally dangerous figures.
According to Netflix’s official film announcement and release information, the story takes place in 1977, when Los Angeles has changed considerably from the city depicted in the original movie.
Cliff earns money through various jobs, including bartending and working as a projectionist. His more unusual occupation involves solving problems that other people would prefer to keep out of public view.
The new storyline introduces talent agent Karen Crosby, played by Elizabeth Debicki, who contacts Cliff on behalf of her client, television star Charlie Peters, played by Scott Caan. Charlie is known for performing his own stunts, a detail that connects the new story to Cliff’s professional background.
The surrounding characters include Charlie’s wife, Toni Peters, played by Carla Gugino, and Roderick “Hot Rod” Harrison, a former professional football champion who has become a screen star, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.
The story also features the Verdusco brothers, portrayed by Matt Groove and JB Tadena, who are described as gangsters involved in the trouble unfolding across Los Angeles.
Murder, blackmail, theft, and extortion form part of the film’s crime-driven premise. Rather than simply revisiting the stuntman’s earlier adventures, the movie places him in a world where his knowledge of Hollywood and willingness to operate outside conventional rules may be useful.
Netflix has also published a new look at the film’s story and characters, offering additional context about Cliff’s changing role and the 1970s setting.
The key difference is that Cliff is no longer defined primarily by his relationship with Rick Dalton. He now operates independently within a wider network of entertainment-industry personalities, creating room for a new story with its own conflicts and supporting characters.
Who Is in The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth Cast?
The cast combines Brad Pitt’s returning character with a group of performers playing new figures in the fictional Hollywood underworld.
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Brad Pitt | Cliff Booth |
| Elizabeth Debicki | Karen Crosby |
| Scott Caan | Charlie Peters |
| Carla Gugino | Toni Peters |
| Yahya Abdul-Mateen II | Roderick “Hot Rod” Harrison |
| Peter Weller | Role not specified in the initial official synopsis |
| Matt Groove | One of the Verdusco brothers |
| JB Tadena | One of the Verdusco brothers |
| Corey Fogelmanis | Role not specified in the initial official synopsis |
| Karren Karagulian | Role not specified in the initial official synopsis |
Timothy Olyphant has also been reported as returning as actor James Stacy, a character associated with the original film. His involvement provides another connection to the earlier story.
The new cast gives Cliff a different set of relationships to navigate. Instead of spending most of his time supporting one actor, he encounters talent agents, television personalities, former athletes, and criminal figures whose interests may overlap in unpredictable ways.
For viewers, the combination of established performers and new characters is one of the most interesting elements of the project. It allows the filmmakers to preserve the original character while building a broader story around the entertainment business of the late 1970s.
Who Is Directing the New Brad Pitt Cliff Booth Movie?
David Fincher directs The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, working from a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino.
The collaboration brings together two filmmakers with distinct approaches to storytelling. Tarantino created Cliff Booth and the fictional world in which the character first appeared. Fincher is known for carefully controlled filmmaking, crime narratives, and attention to atmosphere and character behavior.
Their partnership also means that the new movie is not simply a routine continuation of the original production. Tarantino supplies the screenplay, while Fincher brings his own directorial approach to the character’s next chapter.
Pitt and Ceán Chaffin are producers. The creative team also includes cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, production designer Donald Graham Burt, editor Kirk Baxter, and costume designer Trish Summerville.
The setting is particularly important. In 1977, Hollywood was navigating changing tastes, evolving celebrity culture, and a different entertainment landscape from the late 1960s. The movie uses that period as the backdrop for a crime story centered on people attempting to protect their interests, reputations, and careers.
Although the project grows out of Tarantino’s earlier film, its announced premise emphasizes Los Angeles as much as the movie industry itself.
Adventures of Cliff Booth Release Date: When Can You Watch It?
One of the most common questions surrounding the film concerns the Adventures of Cliff Booth release date. The project now has an official title and a confirmed release schedule.
November 25, 2026
The film begins an exclusive two-week IMAX theatrical engagement. Availability will depend on participating theaters and local showtimes.
December 23, 2026
The movie is scheduled to debut on Netflix in the United States, giving subscribers a streaming option before Christmas.
As of November 9, 2026, both dates are still in the future. The November theatrical engagement is scheduled to begin 16 days after the current date, while the Netflix premiere is planned for December 23.
The two-stage release gives audiences different ways to watch the film. Those who prefer a large-screen experience can look for participating IMAX locations, while viewers who want to watch at home can plan for the Netflix debut.
The film’s official Netflix title page provides its listing and trailer information. Viewers should check local theater schedules closer to the theatrical opening because showtimes and participating locations may vary.
The project was previously discussed under the working title The Adventures of Cliff Booth. That name remains useful when searching for early announcements, but The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth is the official title.
How Is the New Movie Connected to Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood?
The connection between the two films is central to understanding why the new release has attracted attention.
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, released in 2019, introduced Cliff Booth as a stuntman working closely with Rick Dalton. Its story blended fictional characters with real historical figures and events, creating an alternate version of Hollywood in 1969.
The new movie advances Cliff’s story to 1977. That eight-year gap allows the filmmakers to explore how his life and professional circumstances have changed without requiring the new story to repeat the structure of the original.
There is also a change in genre emphasis. The first movie mixed comedy, drama, historical fiction, and suspense. The new film’s announced premise places greater emphasis on crime and the complicated relationships among people who move through Los Angeles’s entertainment scene.
The new movie should therefore be understood as a continuation of Cliff’s fictional life, not a remake or a direct retelling of the 2019 film.
It also should not be confused with a confirmed return for Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton. Rick is not listed among the principal cast members in Netflix’s initial announcement of the new project.
Why Is Brad Pitt Returning as Cliff Booth?
Cliff Booth offers Pitt an opportunity to revisit a character who combines physical action with understated comedy and dramatic depth.
The role is also closely associated with one of Pitt’s most celebrated performances. His Academy Award-winning portrayal helped make Cliff a recognizable part of the original film’s identity, even though he was not the central character.
Returning to Cliff in a later period creates a different set of possibilities. In the original movie, his stunt work and relationship with Rick helped establish his character. In the new film, his experience, street smarts, and familiarity with Hollywood become the foundation for his work as a fixer.
That transition also allows the story to examine what happens when a professional’s traditional role becomes less relevant. Cliff is no longer relying exclusively on stunt work to earn a living. Instead, he applies his knowledge and practical skills to problems that exist beyond a film set.
The film’s appeal will partly depend on how effectively it develops that transition while retaining the qualities that made the character popular in the first place.
What Should Fans Expect From The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth?
Based on the officially announced premise, audiences can expect a period crime story with Hollywood at its center.
The 1977 setting provides an opportunity to explore an industry shaped by television stars, ambitious agents, changing professional expectations, and people attempting to maintain their influence. Cliff’s work as a fixer places him in the middle of these competing interests.
The announced plot also suggests that the film will involve dangerous situations and morally complicated decisions. Cliff’s skills may make him useful to the people who hire him, but the presence of criminal activity means that his work can carry consequences beyond the entertainment business.
However, the complete story and its ending should not be assumed from the premise or trailer alone. The film has not yet reached its scheduled public release as of November 9, 2026.
The most reliable details currently available concern the official title, principal cast, filmmakers, basic storyline, and release schedule. Additional interpretations of the plot remain speculation until viewers can see the complete movie.
For fans, the biggest question is whether Cliff’s new life as a fixer will preserve his independent personality while pushing him into situations that test his judgment in different ways.
Final Thoughts
Cliff Booth remains one of Brad Pitt’s most memorable screen characters, and The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth gives audiences a new look at his life in a changing Hollywood. With David Fincher directing, Quentin Tarantino writing, and a November 25 IMAX opening followed by a December 23 Netflix premiere, the film is shaping up to be a major late-year release for fans of crime stories and Hollywood history.
What are you most excited to see in Cliff Booth’s next chapter? Share your thoughts, and stay tuned for the latest movie updates as the release approaches.