If you’re going to make a revisionist spaghetti western, you better cast a few men who have a reputation for a fast draw.
Quentin Tarantino has nabbed at least one. According to Deadline, Kevin Costner has signed on to Django Unchained and in a delightful stretch, he won’t be playing the good guy. Costner will be Ace Woody, the sadistic overseer/trainer of Calvin Candie’s slaves who has no compunction about torturing or killing the men and women who don’t measure up.
It’s a great departure for Costner, and it’s a wonderful subversion of his good ol’ boy image. I know he’s played villains before, but he’s never done anything as colorful and vicious as a Tarantino baddie. This is just going to be fun. Between Unchained and Man of Steel, I expect we’ll see a Costner revival … and you know, that just wouldn’t be a bad thing. I’ve missed the guy.
15 comments
NICE. I love what Tarantino does with his casting. It’s part of what keeps his pictures so exciting to look forward to.
I’d say he was colorful/vicious in 3000 Miles to Graceland but that’s about all I can think of. Regardless, this is good news as he hasn’t been in a western since the great Open Range right?
Fantastic casting! Chew chew chew!
What fuckin’ happened to his face!!!
Interesting choice. Conventional thinking might have placed Costner in the Candle role but I like this more. Didn’t Tarantino pursue him to play Bill after Beatty turned him down?
Costner’s never not been good. He’s always been a delight, even though he’s made some weaker movies.
Yep. Seems like Tarantino always gets his man…………..at least eventually.
Exactly! For the life of me, I can’t remember a single film I have seen him in where he was “sleepwalking” through the role.
My sentiments exactly – he’s always been solid. Probably in the minority here, but I quite liked Mr. Brooks. Also recommend The New Daughter – don’t let the cover fool you, it’s a pleasantly spooky surprise.
I have always liked Costner, even in the roles he’s criticised for. He’s a great actor. Putting him as a Tarantino bad-guy will be really cool. I’m sure he will through himself entirely into it.
I had John Hawkes or Keith Carradine in my fantasy casting, but, this is superb.
It aged, and somewhat gracefully at that.
I am an unabashed Costner fan, and for me at least this is the most exciting news about DU so far. Costner is a special talent. One only needs to watch OPEN RANGE or DANCES to see that. What is at times easier to forget, given the decades of dreck we’ve gotten from the star, is that he’s also enormously winning and charismatic when he wants to be. He can do his ‘100 yard stare of wisdom’, but that’s just one of the tricks in his acting bag. He’s bad ass, and funny, and I think he should kick butt in this upcoming film
I hope after seeing him knock it out of the park (Costner baseball metaphor!) people will remember why they liked him in the first place, and he’ll have a chance to reclaim his former glory
Or at least direct another movie. It’s been eight years since OPEN RANGE!
honestly I can’t wait for this movie. the casting just keeps getting better and better, I love that Quentin is finally diving into different genre’s. granted he’s paid homage to them in his other films but the fact that he’s actually doing them says something. not to mention the grace period between films is a lot shorter as well FINALLY! and he’s following thru w/promises about his movie promises instead of talking about them for years..who is this guy and what did he do w/the old Quentin?
It’s going to be crazy cool to hear good old Costner spew some totally politically incorrect racist Tarantino wordbites. Him and his steely eyes should be great in a role like that. Oh and Rappe, it’s such a relief to hear that he is still handsome enough even for you, hehe.
Comments are shown as archived from the original site; new comments are closed.