Quentin Tarantino exploded onto the scene in the 1990s with Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994), and Jackie Brown (1997). During this time period, it seemed the sky was the limit for the auteur, and there were quite a few projects he had in the pipeline that never actually ended up on the silver screen.
Even beyond the '90s, there have been plenty of unrealized projects with interesting facts and what-could-have-been speculation. In the end, audiences still have nine official Tarantino films and Death Proof, and it remains to be seen if his supposedly-final next movie will be one of these unseen ideas.
Killer Crow, The Inglourious Basterds Spinoff
Not all of Inglourious Basterds' screenplay ended up on the screen itself. There was a scene where Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) encounters a platoon consisting entirely of Black soldiers.
Killer Crow, as it would have been called, was also a tale of revenge, but it would have generated a fair amount of controversy, even for Tarantino. The reason is the goal of the platoon, which was to go on the warpath against racist white soldiers (even supposed "friendlies"). According to The Root, Tarantino intended this to be the conclusion to a trilogy of sorts: Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, and Killer Crow.
Luke Cage In The '90s
Before even X-Men and Spider-Man, Tarantino wanted to adapt the Marvel Comics character, Luke Cage, for the big screen. Tarantino was a Hollywood up-and-comer after the release of Reservoir Dogs, so his desire for a movie to get made was a step in the right direction. However, he ultimately went with Pulp Fiction.
While audiences have, of course, not seen Tarantino's take on Luke Cage's comic book stories, it's safe to say that Pulp Fiction is about as good a consolation prize as a cinephile can get.
Working With Pitt Before Inglourious
There was an opportunity in the 1990s for Tarantino to work with Brad Pitt. It would take about another 15 years for them to work together, but they were initially supposed to collaborate on an adaptation of Jim Thompson's The Killer Inside Me, according to BlackBook. Pitt was set to play Lou Ford, who would easily be one of the most despicable and violent characters in a Quentin Tarantino movie.
In the end, the book was adapted into a Kate Hudson, Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba movie that quickly faded from public memory. It's interesting to imagine Tarantino working in straight noir with original cast members Uma Thurman, Juliette Lewis, and Pitt.
Natural Born Killers
Like Tony Scott's superb True Romance (1993), Natural Born Killers (1994) was written but not directed by Tarantino. Instead, it's Oliver Stone, and the final product is far more jumbled than Tarantino's original, more streamlined script.
Tarantino has been vocal about how the Juliette Lewis/Woody Harrelson film isn't the one he'd have directed. But, there was a version that would have been all his. While it's easy to imagine it being a different film from Stone's (which arguably fetishized violence instead of condemning the very same thing), it's even easier to imagine Tarantino keeping one thing in common: Juliette Lewis.
There Could Have Been More Vega
In the late-90s, Tarantino was on track to revisit Vic and Vincent Vega. Naturally, it would have been a prequel to both Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, but even with the audience knowing the eventual outcome, it would have been a treat.
Ostensibly titled The Vega Brothers, the movie never happened, but it meant that Michael Madsen and John Travolta would have reprised their roles as Vic and Vincent, respectively. The prospects for the project are fairly grim at this point in 2021, but there was a time where that would have been either an excellent cap to his '90s or start to his aughts. As Samuel L. Jackson's best role in a Tarantino film, it's hopeful that Jules Winnfield would have made some sort of appearance.
More Time With The Daughter Of The Bride
Tarantino originally intended to make four Kill Bill films altogether, according to Bloody Disgusting. The first two, of course, would focus on The Bride, while the latter two would focus on her daughter (and Nikkia, the daughter of Vivica A. Fox's Vernita Green).
Depending on the viewer's affinity for the two existing films, the prospect of an expansion could prove enticing. It also is perhaps something that could be done in one film. If any potential project feels like a realistic final entry to Tarantino's filmography, it's Kill Bill: Volume 3. With the right actor like Maya Hawke, the grown-up B.B. Kiddo could be another of Quentin Tarantino's toughest female characters.
A Very Different Entrance For Craig's Bond
Before Martin Campbell directed the 2006 James Bond masterpiece Casino Royale, Tarantino threw his hat in the ring, according to Warped Factor. He'd have set it in the '60s, but would have also made an even more interesting choice. The auteur was insistent that the current Bond, Pierce Brosnan, continue on in the role.
It's for the best that things went the way they did, as Daniel Craig made for an excellent Bond. However, a 1960s time period sounds like an interesting and reverence-fueled direction for the future of 007. Furthermore, perhaps Tarantino could have serendipitously revealed Christoph Waltz to the world in a role besides Hans Landa (or Blofeld).
Tarantino's Enterprise Voyage
Star Trek (2009) was well-received and a modest hit. Its sequel, Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), had its issues but also did well at the box office. Lastly, the underrated Star Trek Beyond was fun, but didn't break the bank.
With decreasing box office returns, it would make sense for a massive shakeup. Tarantino directing Star Trek or any other massive established property would be just this. Not only did this version of the franchise nearly come to fruition, but it also would have been rated R. And, knowing Tarantino, it wouldn't have been a soft one.
Django Meets Zorro
When Django Unchained proved to be such a hit for Tarantino in 2012, it naturally led to speculation around spin-offs and continuations. There was even a comic book adaptation pinning Django against the swashbuckling Zorro.
The director himself was not averse to talks of spinoff projects and even hired Jerrod Carmichael (hysterical in Neighbors) to bring that comic book to further life as a script, as reported by Collider. In the end, nothing came to light of that, but the thought of Carmichael having a role in Tarantino's final film is enticing, to say the least.
Django 2 Became The Hateful Eight
Before the script for The Hateful Eight leaked, compromising its release, it technically wasn't The Hateful Eight at all. The earliest draft of Tarantino's 2015 film was still Western-themed, but instead of a claustrophobic whodunit, the film was a Django sequel, according to Collider.
The title of the film was to be Django in White Hell, and it's very hard to imagine a certain scene in The Hateful Eight not being a part of that narrative. When Samuel L. Jackson's Major Marquis Warren confronts General Sanford 'Sandy' Smithers (Bruce Dern) about the man's evil son, the words could very much be coming out of Django's mouth.