Image Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Looks like Kurt Russell’s ready to play the heavy for Quentin Tarantino for the second time. EW has confirmed that the 60-year-old actor is in talks to take on the role of Ace Woody in Tarantino’s period slavery spaghetti Western Django Unchained, a role that Kevin Costner was set to play until he dropped out earlier this week. (TheWrap first reported the story.)
In the film, Ace works for Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), a cruel slaveowner who pits his male slaves, trained by Ace, against each other for sport, and forces his female slaves to work as prostitutes. Jamie Foxx will play the titular Django, a slave-turned-bounty-hunter whose (as yet uncast) wife is being held captive by Candie. Samuel L. Jackson will play Candie’s plantation manager, and Christoph Waltz a German bounty hunter who comes to the aid of Django. (Waltz recently injured himself training for the film, but is expected to make a full recovery.)
Russell last worked with Tarantino in 2007′s Death Proof – part of the Grindhouse double-feature — as the sociopathic killer Stuntman Mike.
Django Unchained is due to start filming this January.
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He seemed like the obvious (and good!) replacement for Costner.
Both C list so that’s about right!
A winning choice. “This car’s 100% death proof…. only to get the benefit honey, you really need to be sittin in my seat.” Classic
Deathproof is so awesome and so underrated.
Yes! Finally, recognition from others about the genius of Death Proof. It’s Quentin’s best film
It woulda been cool to see Costner in a Tarantino flick, but I’m glad Russell is his replacement…he was great in “Death Proof.”
Didn’t both Costner and Russell both play Wyatt Earp?
Good call, Joe. That is right
That’s a damn shame. I like Russel like the next guy but he’s just going to play a more vicious and violent Stuntman Mike. Costner was the riskier and more interesting actor for this role, this would have been a true, great fascinating comeback for him.
I totally agree. I think Russell will be great but seeing Kevin Costner in a role against type would be just like Denzel in Training Day. Costner is so stupid for ditching this because he’s starring in a tv movie for the History Channel. As great as he was in The Upside of Anger (he was great!) that movie didn’t do for his career like it should have. This would have. Idiot! Look at what Quentin did for Robert Forster. After Jackie Brown, he got an Oscar nom and his career restarted. Idiot!
Sina—shut up already with the idiot. You don’t run Kevin Costner’s life and career. He’s a stand up guy who finishes what he starts. If he’s already booked up, so be it. That doesn’t make him an idiot. AND FYI, his career is doing just fine.
I’m surprised he didn’t ask him first because of “Grindhouse: Death Proof.” He’ll be so great in this role.
Sounds like a very Tarantino plot and cast, but I really dislike the title of the film — it’s bland and not very marketable/market friendly.
On the contrary, giving it the same title as the Corbucci/Nero ‘Django’ (as well as that movie’s 30-odd unofficial sequels) will help to make it even more marketable around the world. Sure, it may suffer for its title here in the U.S., but we’re a shrinking part of the box-office pie.
I can see uma Thurman being cast also.
Quentin should relaunch the career of some of the following straight to DVD kings in Django Unchained:
Michael Madsen, Ron Perlman, Eric Roberts, Christian Slater, Val Kilmer, Ray Liotta, Ving Rhames, Steven Seagal, Jean Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Cuba Gooding Jr, Wesley Snipes, Danny Trejo, Armand Assante, Michael Biehn, Cary Elwes, Vinnie Jones, Andy Garcia, Tom Sizemore, Gary Daniels, Steve Austin, Michael Jai White, Dean Cain, Christopher Walken, Curtis Jackson, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Robert Patrick, Brandon Routh, Burt Reynolds, Chevy Chase, Christopher Lloyd, Forest Whitaker, etc.
Wow, how long did it take to come up with that exhaustive list? Interesting that all the names are male.
And a crap list. 80% of those listed are barely worthy of designation as actors. Christian Slater, Christopher Walken Christopher Lloyd and Tom Berenger are worthy, the rest are rightfully in obscurity.
Christopher Lloyd sucks. He’s a terrible actor and no one should know his name.
How old are you? Christopher Lloyd is a very good actor & he has directed many tv shows!
…… and Chevy Chase used to be hillarious in movies! Nat. Lamp. Christmas Vacation is one of the funniest movies ever made! Just not Christmas if I don’t see that one!
“[H]e has directed many tv shows”
amy: You must be thinking of the writer/producer of shows like Modern Family, Fasier and Wings.
America loves crap.
And where are you from ? the U.K. no doubt?
Excellent!! I love Kurt Russell. He was awesome in Death Proof and will rock this.
Wow. When Kevin Costner drops out of your movie, something must be very wrong.
I’m still hoping for Idris Elba to get the lead, and maybe the stardom this fabulous actor deserves.
I like the addition of Kurt Russell, but now I think Tarantino should change the title to “Django & Cash”
This is great news, I love Kurt Russel. Can anyone confirm or deny the rumor that Denise Milfort is going to play Broomhilda please? Source will be helpful, thank you!