We all assumed Robert Richardson would not be lensing David Fincher’s “The Adventures of Cliff Booth,” which just started production, and we now can confirm, via set photo, that Fincher’s go-to DP Erik Messerschmidt is indeed taking the reins.
Fincher is a creature of habit, and he loves sticking with his usual crew, from film to film, so this isn’t much of a surprise. That said, this means that Richardson’s grainy lighting, those long takes, the romantic, lush, sun-drenched photography in “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood” might very well not appear in Fincher’s sequel.
Fincher will probably opt instead for Messerschmidt’s cold, calculated, sterile, and digital lensing.
Is this a good idea? Fincher no doubt wants to carve out his own distinct vision when it comes to Cliff Booth’s story — having Messerschmidt aiding him with photography will do just that. I can see them going for a neo-noir look.
While we’re at it, shout out to Richardson, a legend, and three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer, whose work with Tarantino (“Inglourious Basterds,” “Kill Bill”), Martin Scorsese (“The Aviator,” “Casino”), and Oliver Stone (“JFK,” “Platoon”) has made him one of the most visually distinctive and lasting DPs in the game.
‘Cliff Booth’ is set up over at Netflix, where Fincher has a first-look deal. The budget is said to be around $200M. The cast includes Pitt, Carla Gugino, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Elizabeth Debicki, Scott Caan, Corey Fogelmanis and Karren Karagulian.
No word yet whether Leonardo DiCaprio has accepted the $3M offer to return as Rick Dalton in a cameo.