The Popinjay Cavalier
2027 play by Quentin Tarantino
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Popinjay Cavalier is a stage farce written by Quentin Tarantino. A West End premiere, to be directed by Tarantino, is planned for early 2027 by producers Sonia Friedman Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Sacha Baron Cohen stars as the titular Popinjay Cavalier.
| The Popinjay Cavalier | |
|---|---|
Teaser poster | |
| Written by | Quentin Tarantino |
| Characters |
|
| Genre | |
| Setting | 1830s Europe |
| Premiere | |
| Place | West End theatre |
| Directed by | Quentin Tarantino |
| Official website | |
Premise
Set in 1830s Europe, the play is a rambunctious comedy of deception and disguise inspired by the swashbuckling epics of stage and screen.[1]
Cast
Background
Quentin Tarantino, who had previously appeared on Broadway,[4] held a staged reading in 2014 in Los Angeles of an early draft of The Hateful Eight (2015) before the film's premiere.[5] He has subsequently said that he wrote a stage adaptation of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)[6] and has mentioned plans to adapt some of his other films for the stage.[7][8]
Development
In August 2024, Tarantino announced he was developing a stage play.[9] In January 2025, he began writing the play that he plans to also direct.[10] In August 2025, he announced he had finished writing it and was moving to London to "start the ball rolling on it in January".[11][12]
In March 2026, producers Sonia Friedman Productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that the play, titled The Popinjay Cavalier, was in development and that they planned an early 2027 premiere in a West End theatre.[13][14][2] It has been described as a "swashbuckling comedy" set in 1830s Europe[15] and a farce.[16] In July 2026, the show's developer Sonia Friedman praised Tarantino's script, before voicing her concerns for the rising production costs of recent London stage shows, including The Popinjay Cavalier.[17][18] By September 2026, Sacha Baron Cohen was cast as the titular Popinjay Cavalier.[2][3]
Tarantino has stated that if the play is well-received, he could adapt it into his tenth and final film.[19]
