Seems like there’s also the possibility for back stories, too – like the evolution of Bill.
I might do that as an animated movie – more about his origins and Bill’s three godfathers – Esteban, Hatori Hanzo, and Pei Mei. This little journey that starts when he’s 12. I’ve already got a deal with Miramax, I can do this anytime. I spent so much time writing the script, that I know all the mythology of it. I even like the idea of writing a Frank Miller-style graphic novel.
In the meantime, you’re on the jury at Cannes in May. Was that a fantasy of yours?
It completely and utterly is. Forget about being the president of the jury – it’s also this kind of symmetry: Ten years ago I won the Palme d’Or, and now coming back as the president – one of the youngest presidents if not the youngest – it’s a total fantasy. When it comes to recognition in filmmaking, for true cinema, I put Cannes above everything else. When I die it can say '‘Palme d’Or winner Quentin Tarantino.’'
Do you ever worry that your moment has passed? As popular as ‘‘Kill Bill’’ was, it didn’t have nearly the water-cooler buzz of ‘‘Reservoir Dogs’’ or ‘‘Pulp Fiction.’’
It’s not really anything I think about. Maybe thirty thousand people saw ‘‘Reservoir Dogs’’ at the theater, so if they were talking about the movie they were talking about a movie they hadn’t seen. ‘‘Pulp Fiction’’ was a phenomenon. You can’t count on making a phenomenon every time out of the gate or you’re going to be one sorry bastard. And when you make a movie as violent as ‘‘Kill Bill,’’ you can’t be surprised when people don’t want to see it. Harvey Weinstein always says, ‘‘We could make 100 million dollars if people weren’t DROWNING IN BLOOD!’’ [Laughs] But considering the gore, he’s thrilled with the business we did. I didn’t realize you had to grade on a curve with violence.
It’s been reported that you might work with your friend Robert Rodriguez on his next film, ‘‘Sin City.’’
It could very well happen sometime this summer. It’s based on one of Frank Miller’s graphic novels, and I totally want to do it. I’d be a special guest director. [Rodriguez] wrote the score for ‘‘Kill Bill – Vol. 2’’ and he charged me a dollar to do it, so I’ll charge him one dollar for directing.
And can we can expect to see ‘‘Kill Bill – Vol. 3’’ in about 15 years?
I don’t know if I’ll call it ‘‘Vol. 3.’’ And Uma won’t be the star of it, though she’ll be in it. The star will be Vernita Green’s [Vivica A. Fox’s] daughter, Nikki [Ambrosia Kelley]. And I know everything that will take her up to this time. Sofie Fatale [Julie Dreyfus] will get all of Bill’s money, and she will raise Nikki, and she will go to take on the Bride. Nikki deserves her revenge every bit as much as the Bride deserved hers. I might even, a year from now, shoot a couple of scenes for it and put it in the vault for 15 years from now so I can get the actresses while they’re this age. It’s really exciting to know that somewhere out there is a little girl who’s going to grow up to be my leading lady.
