When Will Smith’s name came up for Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, another name was hanging around the “hopeful” list: Leonardo DiCaprio. I didn’t mention it at the time, because the Smith story felt more important. He allegedly had the script, and DiCaprio was just a name on Tarantino’s list, where he’d been since ducking out of Inglourious Basterds.
Now DiCaprio is coming up a topic in his own right. Jeff Goldsmith tweeted today that DiCaprio will be the villainous slave owner Calvin Candie in Unchained. Goldsmith seems to have the inside track on Tarantino’s casting, and was the first to mention Smith’s name in conjunction with the project.
DiCaprio has an incredibly full slate, though. It’s possible this rumor goes the way of his playing Hans Landa, and dies in the land of schedule conflict. I certainly hope he tackles it, though. I’d like to see him chew some scenery, and shrug off fedoras and grieving widowers for a time.
All rumors of Idris Elba, however, are strictly fan based due to Elba tweeting that he was meeting with a controversial director for a controversial part. Lots of people made a Tarantino connection, but it could be a lot of directors. Maybe it’s Lars von Trier!
Let the impatience for firm news commence…now.