This story needs to be filed strictly under “rumor” and “studio wishes, not Spike Lee’s wishes” for now, but it’s too interesting not to talk about.

According to TwitchFilm (who seems to have a conduit Lee and Oldboy), Josh Brolin is Mandate Pictures top pick to play the film’s imprisoned, maddened lead.

Again, Brolin is just a name on a list and no offer is out to anyone…but what a name.   I would love to see him tackle it.   Think of that single, mad look he gives little Mattie in True Grit, and then extend that for an entire film.

Whoever gets cast has some big, iconic shoes to fill … and it probably won’t, in Django Unchained style, be the name we all wanted.  But it’s fun to play the game anyway.