Now that Tarantino has opened the door to novelizations, is there a possibility for expansions of his other films (save for “Jackie Brown,” which was based on Elmore Leonard’s “Rum Punch”)? Tarantino told Phipps he has no interest in doing this with “Pulp Fiction,” but what about that hypothetical sequel to “Kill Bill” centered on Vernita Green’s daughter, Nikki? Or his unmade “Star Trek” pitch, which was fleshed out into a screenplay by “The Revenant” writer Mark L. Smith?
Or what about the holy grail for many old-school Tarantino heads, “The Vega Brothers,” which would deal with the origins of Victor and Vincent Vega, the hitmen brothers played by Michael Madsen and John Travolta in, respectively, “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction?” Given that Madsen and Travolta are way too far along to reprise their roles, this feels like the ideal grist for a novelization. There’s no need to adjust to new actors trying to recapture the magic of those performances. You can watch the movie in your head with Madsen and Travolta.
No one knows what the future holds for QT as he prepares to turn 60 this month, but at a certain point, this won’t be a question of will, but age. The man has two young children vying for his attention nowadays. That “off” switch has to look awfully tempting.