For almost two decades, Kill Bill has been the source of much fan debate, as the film’s two volume structure has some confused on whether or not it’s one movie or two. That infamous argument aside, as it’s apparently been settled once and for all by Quentin Tarantino, there’s on subject that needs to be addressed: could we ever see Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair brought to our eyes, and could Netflix be the key to getting it done?
Years have passed with the promise of uniting the entire film into one package and distributing it to the masses. While we’ve seen some compromises made, we’re not quite in the end zone when it comes to experiencing Quentin Tarantino’s singular masterpiece. But with a new sort of relationship forming between QT and the streaming giant, anything is possible.
Prepare yourself for a moment that, if possible, could unite a broken fandom, and deliver a cinematic treasure to the masses.
What Is Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair?
The short short version Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair's history is as follows. At the turn of the century, Quentin Tarantino and co-writer/star Uma Thurman gamed out the story for Kill Bill: a kung fu revenge epic to end all epics. Thurman would play The Bride, a.k.a. Beatrix Kiddo, the protagonist who would fight to get her vengeance against her former team of fellow assassins that did her wrong on behalf of their boss, Bill (David Carradine).
Kill Bill’s story was one big four hour epic that could have been released in a single, long form release, but that wasn’t to be. As the film was set up at Tarantino’s old stomping grounds of Miramax, producer Harvey Weinstein thought two separate outings would be a better bet at the box office. With that idea firmly planted, and some editing and reshuffling done, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2 were born.
However, not too long after releasing both volumes to the singular story, Quentin Tarantino had promised that the story would be edited back together into Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair. It would be a single volume experience that reunited both halves of the Kill Bill story, telling it the way it was meant to be told.
Why Netflix Might Be The Key To Releasing Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair?
Obviously if Quentin Tarantino were given a choice on how he would release Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, he’d more than definitely say he wanted it to be a theatrical affair. As this particular cut of the film does already exist, getting prints made up and a theatrical distributor would be directly in line with his habit of showing the film on 35mm at his New Beverly Theater.
However, due to potential rights restrictions, and in the light of Quentin Tarantino’s budding relationship with Netflix, there’s another possibility that could at the very least get the ball rolling. Since The Hateful Eight already has an extended miniseries cut on the streaming service’s library, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is now being rumored to get the same treatment, there might be an easy in for Netflix to acquire Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair.
Netflix would not only have a killer exclusive, it could nurture their relationship with QT to develop even further. Other films with deleted content, like Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained, could also find their way into the fold with expanded editions released to streaming. Or even better, this moment could be used to eventually propel these films to theatrical releases of their own.
How Could Netflix Release Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair?
The first, most obvious strategy for Netflix to bring Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair to the masses is to acquire the film and drop it on their streaming platform. It wouldn’t even need to advertise it all that much, though a little more heads up than the stealthy release of The Hateful Eight: Extended Version would be appreciated.
But, as previously stated, Quentin Tarantino would probably want to see his beloved pet project released to theaters with as much of a 35mm push as he could possibly get. Most Hollywood studios probably wouldn’t do that, as the added cost for making the prints and securing the rights might get in the way. Those hurdles would probably seem like nothing to Netflix, a company that isn’t afraid to spend what it takes in the name of theatrical dominance.
Possessing the theatrical rights to Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair could mend the wounds between the company and the major theatrical distributors it’s currently feuding with. Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to show a long sought after film to the world in exchange for what could be a healthy box office gross? At the very least, Netflix could show Quentin Tarantino’s masterwork in either a re-edited miniseries option or its full unexpurgated cut on their streaming platform. That is, if the studio didn’t want to make a play for all the marbles and create an unprecedented theatrical event.
When Might We See Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair Hit Netflix, If A Deal Was Made?
Let’s say, hypothetically, that Netflix and Quentin Tarantino have just left the boardroom with a deal to release Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair in any way, shape, or form they chose. The next, most pressing question would be, “How long would it take for The Whole Bloody Affair to be released to the public?” The answer is as simple: whenever the hell all parties involved wanted it to happen.
Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair exists in a finished form that Tarantino has showed at The New Beverly Theater. If that current form was the one that Quentin Tarantino and Netflix wanted to release to the public, be it theatrically or streaming, it would be easy to just convert to the chosen format and put it into the world.
Knowing Quentin Tarantino as the perfectionist that he is though, there’s always a possibility that he might want to tinker around with Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair a little more before putting it onto a wider releasing platform. Even in that case, there’s an existing cut that would act as a skeleton for a finished product to be made out of. It’s just a matter of time, set at the pace Netflix and Tarantino want to take with this journey.
Could Kill Bill Vol. 3 Happen At Netflix If This Is A Success?
Since we’re asking the big questions here, let’s go a little bit bigger for the finale, shall we? As we’re nearing the end of Quentin Tarantino’s self-imposed 10 film retirement, and certain loopholes exist that would allow the man to pursue certain projects, the $10 billion question we’re staring down at this point is this: would he finally make Kill Bill Vol. 3, in order to round out the Kill Bill story into what would truly be the whole bloody affair?
This question doesn’t come out of nowhere, as Quentin Tarantino himself has admitted to talking to Uma Thurman about reuniting for one last ride with The Bride. Recent revelations about their own rocky history aside, Thurman herself said that if Tarantino wrote a good enough role for her, she’d work with him again. Which means that fans may get to see Vernita Green’s daughter get her revenge on The Bride, provided the story is to Uma Thurman’s liking.
Should Kill Bill: Vol. 3 actually happen, that could be the trigger for a re-edited “final cut” to Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair. Should Netflix be interested in The Whole Bloody Affair, they might want to make a deal to produce and distribute this final film, as well as the transformative final product it would result in. Of course, the studio could release the re-edited cut of the first two volumes on its platform, in order to test the waters for whether or not a third film could make an impact.
After existing for years as merely a unicorn in the industry of film, there’s a clear path for Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair to finally come home to its beloved fans. All that has to happen is for the right parties to start talking it up, and Netflix could in fact be the correct company to make this happen. Should this be accomplished, it would be a beautiful achievement to bundle with Quentin Tarantino’s already prestigious career.
Who knows what the future will bring, but in the here and now, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is your latest bet for Quentin Tarantino entertainment. That film is in theaters now.
