Kill Bill star Uma Thurman has offered an update on Kill Bill 3. Quentin Tarantino’s first two entries in the martial arts saga arrived in 2003 and 2004, respectively, and although audiences believed the story of The Bride (Thurman) to have come to its natural conclusion, Tarantino has consistently teased the possibility of a third film. This has left many fans hoping that not only is the sequel on its way, but arriving as soon as possible.
Filled with references to classic samurai and martial arts films, Tarantino’s Kill Bill told the story of Beatrix Kiddo (aka The Bride) who is mercilessly beaten and shot on her wedding day. Kiddo belonged to an all-female assassination squad (the likes of which was vaguely referenced by Thurman in Tarantino’s hit 1994 effort, Pulp Fiction), and after spending time in a coma, Kiddo emerges to seek revenge against those who wronged her. The film sprawls through two volumes, with Kiddo traveling from California to Japan and beyond in a quest that sees her origins explained and offers plenty of the sort of action that only Tarantino can provide. Both volumes were big hits for Tarantino and as such, it should come as no surprise that he’s consistently spoken about his desire to make a third entry in the series.
But with only one project left to go, if Tarantino is serious about retiring after his tenth film, fans have been left wondering if Kill Bill 3 will mark the end for one of modern cinema’s greatest filmmakers. So far, it’s just been Tarantino who’s spoken about a third film, but now Thurman is offering some insight. As Variety reports, Thurman gave a recent interview in which she described Kill Bill 3 as "not immediately on the horizon." At the same time, however, she confirmed that the sequel has indeed been discussed over the years, stating:
“I can’t really tell you anything about it. I mean it has been discussed over the years. There was real thought about it happening, but very long ago. I don’t see it as immediately on the horizon. I hate to disappoint people. Everybody wishes it would be the case, but I think it’s not immediately on the horizon.”
If Kill Bill 3 isn’t immediately on the horizon, then this leaves three possible options for Tarantino fans to mull over. One is that Tarantino won’t ever make Kill Bill 3, and that the entire concept is yet another of the acclaimed filmmaker’s fantasy projects that never actually materializes. The second option is that Kill Bill 3 just might end up being Tarantino’s tenth and final film, but that he won’t deliver it for years – a.k.a. the distant horizon. The third and final option is that Tarantino isn’t actually going to retire after his tenth film, in which case, perhaps he’ll make one or two more films before getting around to Kill Bill 3.
If Tarantino is only going to make ten films, it does feel almost a bit dull to go out on Kill Bill 3. This isn’t to say that the series isn’t great fun, but for diehard fans, the notion of a new Tarantino release has consistently become something of an event over the years. People want new Tarantino material, and part of the fun of each new film is finding out what direction he’ll go in. Because of that, to finish his career on a sequel feels like a cop-out, a method by which to play it safe with a proven hit and not risk anything in the process. And of course, if Tarantino’s career has proven one thing, it’s that he’s never been averse to risk-taking.
Source: Variety