Steve Iervolino/ABC Radio(LOS ANGELES) — In an extensive interview with Deadline, Quentin Tarantino explores his upcoming movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood in detail, but the conversation led to revelations about new projects, including a long-rumored R-rated take on Star Trek.
Speaking about his love for the beloved sci-fi property, Tarantino explains, “I love William Shatner on Star Trek…It’s why I like Star Trek more than Star Wars, because William Shatner’s not in Star Wars.”
Tarantino’s adaptation — if he takes the director’s chair — would be based on a “really cool script” from The Revenant writer Mark L. Smith. “[I]f I’m going to do it, then I’m going to do it my way,” the filmmaker says.
“If you’ve seen my nine movies, you kind of know my way is an R-rated way and a way that is without certain restrictions,” he adds. “I think it would be more controversial if I said I’m going to do a PG movie.”
Tarantino praised the J.J. Abrams-produced reboot’s Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, who played, respectively, a “fantastic” and “perfect” Kirk and Mr. Spock, but sniped at the Simon Pegg, who played Scotty and co-wrote Star Trek Beyond.
“He doesn’t know anything about what’s going on…[H]e’s like ‘Well, look, it’s not going to be Pulp Fiction in space.’ Yes, it is!” Tarantino laughs. “It’ll be Pulp Fiction in space. If I do it, that’s exactly what it’ll be.”
Quentin added, “Deadpool showed that you can rethink these things, do them in a different way. So really, even before J.J. knew what the idea was, his feeling was, if it wants to be an R rating, fine.”
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, starring Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Pacino and many others, opens July 26.
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