Leonardo DiCaprio in Talks for Tarantino’s Django Unchained?

Posted by on June 8th, 2011   Filed under: Drama, Rumours, Western
Source: Variety

Over the past decade or so, Leonardo DiCaprio has worked pretty much exclusively with great directors, most recently becoming a muse of sorts for both Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese. Is he about to add Quentin Tarantino to his list of top notch collaborators? According to Variety, he could very well be. Rumour has it that DiCaprio is currently in talks to play the main antagonist in Tarantino’s next film, the “Southern” revenge flick Django Unchained. It could be the first time he plays a true villain on screen, but is Tarantino thinking a little too far outside the box on this one?

DiCaprio is reportedly in negotiations to play a character named Calvin Candie, who owns a Mississippi plantation called “Candyland” where he holds gladiatorial fights among the male slaves and sexually exploits the females. While DiCaprio would not normally be the first name to come to mind for such a role, Tarantino has said that he wrote Col. Hans Landa from Inglourious Basterds with him in mind as well, even though Christoph Waltz ended up playing him and winning an Oscar for the performance. Samuel L. Jackson will play Candie’s “right-hand slave.”

The film’s lead role still has yet to be cast, but Will Smith remains a frontrunner. Other names under consideration include Idris Elba and Chris Tucker… that’s right, Chris Tucker. As always, it looks like Quentin Tarantino will have a few surprises up his sleeve and I can’t wait to see how this one comes together. That being said, I am a little unsure about seeing Leonardo DiCaprio as the film’s villain. What do you think, could it be an inspired choice or does it make you slightly less enthused for Django Unchained?



  • AaronT

    I trust Tarantino with my life. Anyone he chooses will be perfect.

    That being said, I would love to see DiCaprio in a different kind of role for him.

  • djangoscud

    Agreed Aaron. Trust is important when we second guess a director’s choice. I sometimes forget that Quentin has worked with DeNiro and I had reservations at first when Pitt was cast in Basterds but he truly understands the craft and how to get the best from his actors.

    On the DiCaprio bit I was also apprehensive when he was first cast by Scorsese. It was not due to his lack of skill but rather his very young looks that put me off. Scorsese clearly knows what all great directors know and was able to get a great performance from DiCaprio to such an extent that his performance overshadowed any of my pre-concieved notions. I have faith in any casting decision that Tarantino makes regardless of who ends up getting the role as villain.

    It would be interesting to see how DiCaprio handles playing the heavy. I’m in.

  • Scuv

    This would be awesome, as well as Tarantino being great, DiCaprio is in a rich vein of form and if rumours are true a sprinkling of Big Willy could also give a box office boost. I understand that Tarantinos movies do very well, but this sounds like it could be an absolute behemoth. I CAN’T WAIT!!!

  • rob

    I imagine this to be a perfect match of talent.

  • Napalm

    I’ve been sold on this film since day 1.

  • patrik

    I´ll watch anything this man puts together and I´ll do it with great expectation. He´s earned it and he preatty much always gets his casting right so there´s no reason to think this´ll be different. Although I´d definitely prefer Chiwetel Ejoifor or Idriss Elba over Will Smith.

  • Nick Robertson

    Ever since your Chris Nolan special, in which you didn’t think he’d ever played a villain, I have wanted to scream at you: “The Man in the Iron Mask”!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Everyone re-watch that, he’s great in it.

  • Can’t disagree with anything said above. Taran has put enough genius on screen for us to trust in his judgement up to this point so why wouldn’t this be a good call?

    daryly hannah, travolta, grier and the unheard of waltz should tell us all we need to know.