If the path to finding a lead to star as the butt kicking Django in Quentin Tarantino's upcoming spaghetti Western has been a topsy turvy mess, the one warm spring of information has been Jeff Goldsmith, current host of the excellent podcast The Q & A. He was the first to break the news of Will Smith's potential involvement in Django Unchained, and also the first to put forth Leonardo Dicaprio's involvement. He must have a bug up Tarantino's butt or something. Last week we learned that Jamie Foxx has been pushed to the top of the list to land the highly sought after role, and now it's Goldsmith who says it's all been signed, sealed, and delivered. He announced this via Twitter of course...
“Will Smith is out! Inside sources tell me that Tarantino has chosen Oscar winner @iamjamiefoxx to play Django! #fb”
This wouldseem to be the most solid, happy medium pick when compared to the other contenders. Will Smith was Tarantino's first choice, practically bending over backwards to get the star in. However he quickly faded into the background, with Idris Elba, Foxx, and Chris Tucker moving into the spotlight. Elba is the most physically imposing; Tucker is perhaps better at comedy and a close friend of Tarantino; Foxx is the most solid actor, who also has a certain level of physicality to him. Plus he's the biggest star by far, something Tarantino was clearly seeking.
If you thought Inglourious Basterds was controversial, it ain't got nothin' on what Django Unchained promises to be. The film will center on an ex-slave named Django who teams up with a German bounty hunter named Schultz(Christoph Waltz) to get revenge on evil slavemaster Calvin Candie(Leonardo Dicaprio). Samuel L. Jackson is Stephen, Candie's house slave who keeps the others in line. Django Unchained will hit theaters next year on Christmas Day.
