After 17 years since its last installment, it may be too late for Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Vol. 3. The legendary filmmaker is well known for his incredible writing prowess, earning two Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay over the course of his career. So while the story of a third Kill Bill installment would almost certainly be excellent, it may be too late for Tarantino to helm the project himself.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 was released in 2003, with Kill Bill: Vol. 2 coming the following year. The films marked a stylistic shift in Tarantino’s work, moving from the crime thrillers of his early career to the more stylized and unusual films for which he’s become known. The two-part Kill Bill epic follows the mysterious Bride, Beatrix Kiddo (Uma Thurman), as she seeks revenge against the team of assassins (of which she was once a member) that left her comatose on her wedding day.
While The Bride’s mission to kill the eponymous Bill (David Carradine) was rather conclusive, there is still space left for another installment. But the project has been talked about on and off for over a decade and still no tangible progress has been made. Quentin Tarantino has been sending mixed signals in recent years, and it is difficult to discern when or how the project will ever see the light of day. By now, the time may have passed for Kill Bill: Vol. 3.
Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill 3 Story
Tarantino has been discussing Kill Bill: Vol. 3 and its potential since shortly after the release of Kill Bill: Vol. 2, dropping story elements and potential casting choices every few years since. He has always been adamant about giving The Bride some time to rest and recuperate before sending more mayhem her way. “I think it's just revisiting the characters 20 years later and just imagining the Bride and her daughter, B.B., having 20 years of peace, and then that peace is shattered.” (via EW). Although it seems like a rather long time to put off a sequel, the gap is necessary for the story he wants to tell.
Tarantino has said that the story will center around Vernita Green’s (Vivica A. Fox) daughter, Nikki, as she takes revenge on the woman that killed her mother. “Sofie Fatale will get all of Bill’s money. She’ll raise Nikki, who will take on The Bride. Nikki deserves her revenge every bit as much as The Bride deserved hers.” Nikki witnessed her mother’s death, and The Bride promised that she’d be waiting should Nikki still resent her when she comes of age, so putting her at the center of Kill Bill: Vol. 3’s story seems like the most compelling choice. Tarantino has also reportedly toyed with the idea of bringing back a now eyeless Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) to continue her feud with The Bride, although that may prove to be too much to cover in just one film.
It's The Perfect Time To Make Kill Bill 3
It has been almost 18 years since the release of Kill Bill: Vol. 2, meaning the 20-year gap that Tarantino suggested is just a few years away. Although it isn’t imperative that the gap be exactly 20 years, waiting much longer would detract from the story. Nikki and B.B. would be well into their late 20s, and The Bride would be in her late 50s. This would be closer to the ages Bill and Beatrix were in the originals, but given that Nikki was wronged so early in her life, it seems an unusually long time to wait for revenge.
Tarantino has spoken about the prospect of Uma Thurman’s daughter, Maya Hawke, playing B.B. in Kill Bill: Vol. 3, calling the idea “f***ing exciting.” Hawke is an appropriate age to play B.B., and she looks quite like her mother, so her casting would be more than ideal. Hawke has proven her acting capability, appearing in hugely popular projects like Stranger Things and Fear Street, and she has even previously worked with Tarantino on Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood. Vivica A. Fox (the actress that played Vernita Green) has also suggested that Zendaya play Nikki, and her comparable age and background in dance would make her an excellent choice to lead the film.
Why It's Too Late For Kill Bill 3
Tarantino has said for some time now that he intends to retire after directing 10 movies, setting a limit for himself to ensure that his career ends on a high note. He will instead turn his focus to writing a variety of other projects, including plays and TV shows. Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood was the ninth film Tarantino has directed, meaning his next movie is likely to be his last. And while a third Kill Bill would likely be well-received, it is hard to believe that the director will choose to leave his legacy on a sequel rather than something original.
Perhaps Tarantino could still write the screenplay for Kill Bill: Vol. 3, but it would be tremendously ill-advised for any other director to try and take up the project. The Kill Bill series is so quintessentially Tarantino, drenched deeply in his iconic style, and for anyone else to try and imitate his work would only serve to cheapen the series. So unless Kill Bill: Vol. 3 isn’t Tarantino’s last movie, a direct sequel of Kill Bill is impossible. But it could potentially live on through different mediums.
Kill Bill 3 Could Still Be An Anime
In lieu of a direct sequel from Quentin Tarantino, a Kill Bill anime or animated series seems like the most sensible way to continue the franchise. The films were heavily influenced by genres like kung fu and Westerns, which themselves influenced anime. Likewise, Tarantino’s gratuitous and gory style would translate well into animation. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 even featured a lengthy anime sequence detailing the backstory of O-Ren Ishii, which evidently left its mark on the director.
Tarantino was apparently so impressed with the Kill Bill anime sequence that he was at one point reportedly planning two animated films. Both were to be prequels to the original series. The first would be an origin story for Bill, detailing his past and the people that trained him, and the second would show more of The Bride’s time under Bill’s tutelage. So whether or not Kill Bill: Vol. 3 is actually happening, there is still potential for the franchise to live on without jeopardizing the integrity of the series as a whole.