Tarantino Wants Will Smith for Spaghetti Western Django Unchained
Some might argue that one trip to the wild, wild West was enough for Will Smith. Quentin Tarantino is, it seems, not one of those people. According to a report which you should take with a generous heaping of salt, QT wants Smith for the lead in Django Unchained, his buzzed-about next film which may co-star Christoph Waltz and Sam Jackson. Cue the Stevie Wonder riff!
Again, to reiterate, nothing has been confirmed. No offer has officially gone out. Tarantino just finished scrawling the script the other day, guys! So what we're looking at is a very preliminary wish list of people that QT and Co. hope to line up as they seek studio partners for international release (Weinstein Co. has domestic rights).
But let's just indulge the suggestion for the moment. THR reports that Smith would play Django, "a freed slave who seeks to reunite with his slave wife, a journey which will see him team up with a German bounty hunter to take down an evil plantation owner." Said German would hypothetically be played by Inglourious Basterd Waltz, with Jackson being eyed to play the manipulative slave working for one Monsieur Calvin Candie, the film's big baddie. (Variety reports that Waltz is indeed attached to play a character named Dr. King Schultz, and that Tarantino wrote the role of Django with Smith in mind.) The film may begin shooting this fall in the South.
This fantasy casting seems to make sense both ways, as Smith could use a creative shake-up and go where he really hasn't gone before, into the Tarantino universe. As one of the world's most reliable box office draws, he doesn't necessarily need this kind of film - it needs him and his star power more. But it would be fun to see what might happen if Tarantino joins forces with the erstwhile Fresh Prince. Two great tastes that taste great together?
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Comments
When I first read the headline I was like "what"? But the more I think about it, the more I like the idea.
I'd watch it.
I knew I was right in the other article about this when I said it couldn't be a continuation and had to be a remake.
I think this pretty much conclusively proves it.
It's going to be like Takashi Miike's Django movie that he guest starred in, he'll take the basic basic concept of Django (probably just the machine gun coffin) and surround it in an original story that's pure Quentin. Just like Inglorious Basterds, only this time he'll reference more than just the title and time period.
I don't care how big and powerful a star he is, working with Tarantino is never a bad idea and can only help one's career.
I've read about the -plot (but not the actual script itself) and it really doesn't sound like a Western. Unless this takes place in some fantasy world where plantations existed after the Civil War, there was no slavery during the time that most Westerns cover.
It sounds like it could be pretty good (although it also sounds like if you want a serious take on slavery, you're going to have to look elsewhere) but it seems inaccurate to call it a a western.
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