Brad Pitt returns as Cliff Booth in “The Adventures of Cliff Booth” after Super Bowl trailer

A surprise Super Bowl trailer has put Brad Pitt back in the driver’s seat as Cliff Booth, unveiling a new film titled “The Adventures of Cliff Booth.” The teaser, shown during Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 (ET), signaled that the character from “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is getting his own follow-up story—this time with David Fincher directing from a script credited to Quentin Tarantino.

The trailer’s arrival instantly reframed the movie calendar for 2026: it’s a rare combination of a prestige director, an Oscar-winning role returning, and a sequel-spinoff to a modern Hollywood period piece that already had a devoted audience.

A Super Bowl trailer that landed like a surprise release

The spot aired as part of the game’s big-ticket ad lineup and played more like a full movie preview than a quick tease. It introduced a darker, more kinetic tone than many expected from a Cliff Booth-centered story, leaning into bruising action beats, fast cuts, and a pulpy sense of danger.

One detail driving chatter: the teaser itself has not been widely distributed in an official standalone form, leaving viewers relying on what they saw during the broadcast and short clips reposted elsewhere. That has only heightened the “did you catch it live?” effect that Super Bowl trailers are built for.

The Adventures of Cliff Booth: what the teaser shows

The footage frames Booth as a fixer drifting through late-1960s Los Angeles, moving between backroom deals, gritty bars, and set-adjacent hustle. Several sequences suggest the story pushes him beyond the stuntman shadow role he played before, positioning him as the lead navigating escalating violence and moral murk.

The teaser hints at:

• More driving and stunt-forward set pieces than the original film

• Gunfire and close-quarters confrontations

• A heightened noir edge that feels closer to a thriller than a hangout movie

Not everything is clear from a single trailer, and some plot specifics remain unconfirmed. What is clear is the intent: this is being sold as a Cliff Booth movie, not a cameo or a side story.

How it connects to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2

Calling it “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2” is convenient shorthand, but the trailer suggests a spinoff structure rather than a direct continuation of the ensemble. The original film ended in an alternate-history swirl of Hollywood fantasy and sudden brutality; this follow-up appears to pick up in that aftermath, focusing on Booth’s life once the spotlight has shifted away.

Notably, the trailer does not foreground Rick Dalton, Booth’s actor best friend from the earlier story. The absence reads less like a snub and more like a sign that the creative team wants a cleaner lane: Booth as a stand-alone protagonist.

Fincher and Tarantino’s unusual handoff

The pairing is the story’s headline almost as much as Pitt’s return. Tarantino’s voice shaped the original world and character, while Fincher’s reputation is built on precision, menace, and control of tone. The teaser looks like a deliberate blend: period detail and wry cool on the surface, with a more anxious, procedural engine underneath.

That handoff also answers a practical question many viewers had the moment the title card appeared: this isn’t positioned as a repeat of the original’s rhythm. It looks like a different genre lens on the same universe—less fairy tale, more hunted.

Cast, release window, and what comes next

Alongside Pitt, the cast announced around the film includes Elizabeth Debicki and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, with additional names attached such as Scott Caan and Carla Gugino. The teaser gives only flashes of supporting players, keeping the focus tightly on Booth.

A specific release date has not been publicly locked in. The current expectation is a 2026 release, with industry chatter pointing to a mid-year window and a rollout that may include select theaters before streaming. Until an official date is published, timing should be treated as provisional.

Key takeaways

• Brad Pitt reprises Cliff Booth in “The Adventures of Cliff Booth,” revealed during Super Bowl LX (Feb. 8, 2026 ET).

• David Fincher directs from a script credited to Quentin Tarantino.

• The teaser signals a grittier thriller tone and positions Booth as the clear lead, with a 2026 release expected.

Sources consulted: Reuters, Associated Press, Entertainment Weekly, People Magazine