Kevin Costner In Talks for Sadistic Baddie in Django Unchained

It wouldn't be a Quentin Tarantino film without some kind of reclamation project (see: John Travolta, Robert Forster, Pam Grier, David Carradine, Michael Parks), and so Django Unchained finally feels complete. Deadline reports that Kevin Costner is in talks to play the villainous sidekick of Leonardo DiCaprio in QT's latest genre potboiler, a role that goes wildly against Costner's all-American wolf-dancing '90s-era type.

If the deal is closed, Costner would play Ace Woody, a "sadistic trainer of the male fighting slaves" who works at Candyland, the ranch owned by DiCaprio's slave owner Calvin Candie. Per Deadline's description, "Ace Woody is the one who pits the 'mandingo' fighters against one another, and has little qualms about mistreating and even killing the slaves who don't measure up."

Costner fans worried he's gone to the dark side can rest easy, though -- the Django role is in stark contrast to his other big comeback appearance on the calendar for 2012: Jonathan Kent in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel. Superman's earthly dad and a repellant slave trainer -- now that's range!

In addition to DiCaprio and Costner, Django Unchained will reportedly star Jamie Foxx in the titular role of Django, plus Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson. If everything goes according to plan, expect this monster cast to invade your local cinema in December of 2012.

· Kevin Costner Joining Quentin Tarantino's 'Django Unchained' [Deadline]