Kevin Costner Won't Play Ace Woody in Quentin Tarantino's DJANGO UNCHAINED
Scheduling conflicts rule out the 90's icon from Tarantino's black slavery Western but we debate who could take his place and can think of no-one better than Woody Harrelson!
I imagine it's been 15 years at least since Kevin Costner had to turn down a major role in a major motion picture because he was so in-demand but his two part career resurgence that he was to film this autumn/winter, now becomes just one. A tweet from Variety writer Justin Kroll last night reveals that because of scheduling Costner has had to pull out of playing mandigo trainer Ace Woody, a close associate and henchman of Leonardo DiCaprio's villainous Calvin Candie in the soon to be shooting Quentin Tarantino movie Django Unchained. Tarantino had planned one of his grand revivals with the black slavery Western with Costner, a huge icon of the early 90's (perhaps the biggest of the era) cast in a role certainly against type and it couldn't be further away from the wholesome, All-American Jonathan Kent role in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel which has caused the scheduling conflict. Plus Costner is also lining up to play a role in a History Channel production of The Hatfields & The McCoys which reunites the actor with Kevin Reynolds, director of Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and he couldn't work out the time for Quentin. Shame because it sure sounded like something I wanted to see. So where does Tarantino go next for the role of Ace Woody? Well the part is of a total bastard really and he only appears in a brief few scenes and it suits Michael Madsen down to the ground and I'm totally surprised the eccentric filmmaker hasn't cast his Reservoir Dogs & Kill Bill actor already. But then again, I thought the part of 'The Bear Jew' had Madsen's name all over it when I read the Inglourious Basterds script too and he didn't cast him in that either. Maybe he'll call his friend again and Hostel director Eli Roth will show up on set.... perish the thought. Woody Harrelson might be a good shout and is probably my pick having read the script. 
I loved his turn in Zombieland and I could see him fitting in really well in this universe and he always makes good use of the brief sceentime he has in movies, especially when he is asked to play unhinged and crazy, but we will have to wait and see what Tarantino cooks up. We can't guarantee it won't be a complete left field choice! (as I type this I'm thinking Kurt Russell would work too). In other Django Unchained news, there was one casting earlier in the week that passed us by with the addition of Deadwood actor Gerald McRaney, probably in the role of Spencer 'Big Daddy' Bennett, a racist slave owner who appears early in the script. As many have noted the actor's heyday was in the 80's during the t.v. shows runs of Simon & Simon and Major Dad and a young Quentin has probably remembered him from back in the day and brought him into his picture. 
Django Unchained shoots around November time and is due for release on Christmas Day 2012. Oscar winner Jamie Foxx plays the black slave Django who is freed, trained under the tutelage of Christoph Waltzs eccentric former dentist turned bounty hunter, and then becomes an all out Clint Eastwood style gunslinger, hellbent on saving his bride who is enslaved by Leonardo DiCaprios evil plantation owner. Django's bride has yet to be cast but we do know Samuel L. Jackson has the role of Stephen described as the Basil Rathbone of house niggers, the top right hand man black slave to the evil plantation owner in a part that was written specifically for the actor. The film has a ton of characters and lots of parts yet to be filled so expect casting to ramp up as we move closer to it's fall shoot.