I’m not predicting that Quentin Tarantino‘s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood (Sony, 7.26) will have its big worldwide debut at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival (May 14-25), but it wouldn’t surprise me if it happens. The film already has a huge want-to-see, granted, but Tarantino, Hollywood and the stellar cast (Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Al Pacino, Emile Hirsch, Damian Lewis) descending upon the Cote d’Azur would have a seismic worldwide impact.
Tarantino has been a devotee of this storied festival for nearly three decades, several QT films have premiered there (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglorious Basterds) and Cannes is the only world-class launch pad that makes sense for Once Upon A Time in Hollywood‘s editing schedule. The 1969 hippie-era drama wrapped on 11.1.18, and would presumably be in some kind of viewing shape by mid May.
Remember that Inglorious Basterds premiered in Cannes on 5.20.09, and opened stateside three months later — Hollywood‘s commercial opening would arrive only two months after Cannes.