Quentin Tarantino’s combined cut of his Kill Bill films, Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, is going to be shown in movie theaters for the first time. The Kill Bill saga follows Uma Thurman’s The Bride, a former assassin betrayed by her boss, who seeks revenge after waking from a coma. It was originally released in two parts – Kill Bill: Volume 1 in 2003, then Kill Bill: Volume 2 in 2004.

However, a combined cut of Tarantino’s martial arts epic, dubbed Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, was first shown in 2006 at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as being shown in various other special screenings since. Now, Lionsgate will release the combined cut in movie theaters for the first time on December 5, giving fans what they’ve been waiting for these last 19 years.

As part of combining the two films into one, Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair is going to remove some scenes. That is going to include the cliffhanger ending to Volume 1, as well as the recap that began Volume 2. Among the other changes is the addition of a seven-and-a-half-minute animation sequence that has never been seen before. The combined Kill Bill will also get the premium format treatment, with select presentations of the film in 70mm and 35mm.

Tarantino provided a comment with the news:

“I wrote and directed it as one movie – and I’m so glad to give the fans the chance to see it as one movie. The best way to see Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair is at a movie theater in Glorious [sic] 70mm or 35mm. Blood and guts on a big screen in all its glory!”

Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, Gordon Liu, Michael Parks, and David Carradine as the titular Bill also star in Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, which is expected to play in all major markets.

Why Kill Bill Was Split Into Two Movies

As Tarantino says, he conceived and directed Kill Bill as a single movie, so why did it end up as two separate volumes when it was first released?

The initial cut of Kill Bill was close to four hours, according to reports. Harvey Weinstein, who produced the movie, reportedly wanted to cut some of the action sequences to lessen the runtime. However, Tarantino was steadfast in keeping these scenes in, so he compromised by splitting the story into two movies.

Both Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Kill Bill: Volume 2 made more than $150 million at the worldwide box office. Yet, Tarantino clearly had a drive to showcase his original vision, which movie fans will now get with The Whole Bloody Affair.

Tarantino’s Upcoming Projects

Quentin Tarantino talks animatedly onstage at Cannes Film Festival

While movie fans eagerly await Tarantino’s 10th, and self-billed final movie, the Oscar-winning filmmaker still has a number of things for audiences to enjoy coming down the pipe.

In addition to the release of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, Tarantino penned The Adventures of Cliff Booth, a sequel to his Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, though David Fincher is directing. He’s also working on a play, which could serve as the inspiration for his last movie, and he hosts his own podcast, The Video Archives Podcast.