Quentin Tarantino fans have waited years for this moment. Lionsgate announced Wednesday that 'Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair', the director's uncut vision of his two-part revenge saga, will finally screen in theaters nationwide on December 5. It's the first official theatrical release of the complete film, blending Volumes 1 and 2 into one seamless, blood-soaked epic.
Originally released in 2003 and 2004, the Kill Bill movies followed Uma Thurman's Bride on her vengeful rampage against the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. But Tarantino always envisioned it as a single story—clocking in at over four hours when stitched together. This version includes that elusive seven-and-a-half-minute animated sequence bridging the House of Blue Leaves showdown, something fans have pieced together from bootlegs or rare festival showings. Indeed, the film has floated in semi-official limbo for two decades, screened sporadically at places like the New Beverly Cinema.
Now, with a push from Lionsgate, it's going wide. Select theaters will offer 70mm and 35mm presentations, nodding to Tarantino's love for celluloid amid the streaming wars. "I wrote and directed it as one movie—and I'm so glad to finally give fans the chance to see it as one movie," the director said in a statement. However, details on a home release remain murky; Tarantino has hinted he prefers keeping this cut exclusive to the big screen, a move that smacks of his auteur stubbornness.
The timing feels poignant, too. As Hollywood grapples with reboots and franchises, resurrecting a 20-year-old project like this underscores Tarantino's enduring pull. Thurman's iconic performance, the anime flair, those O-Ren fights—it's all primed for a fresh audience. Moreover, with awards chatter already bubbling for other Tarantino works, this could reignite buzz around his legacy.
But is the wait worth it in an era of quick-stream binges? As December approaches, one wonders how this unfiltered Kill Bill will cut through the noise of modern cinema.