Leonardo DiCaprio might end up working with Quentin Tarantino after all!

It's far from set in stone, but Collider has this to say:

Tarantino fans are hungry for any information regarding his next film, Django Unchained. However, while deals are still being done, we’re all left to wonder how the film will be cast. We already know that Christoph Waltz will play a bounty hunter who mentors an escaped slave named Django and then teams up with him to free Django’s wife from an evil plantation owner. Rumors are now springing forth from the Twitter about casting for Django and the plantation owner, Calvin Candie. Yesterday, tweets from Idris Elba hinted (in the vaguest of terms) that he might be playing Django even though Will Smith was tipped as Tarantino’s top choice for the role. Today, Creative Screenwriting magazine Senior Editor Jeff Goldsmith tweeted

“Casting Rumor: Leonardo DiCaprio WILL play villian [sic] Calvin Candie in [Quentin] Tarantino‘s “Django Unchained”! QT wanted him for [Inglourious Basterds] & now has him!”

Hit the jump for more on these rumors.

Regarding the rumors, let’s start with Elba. Here’s what he tweeted [via The Playlist] this weekend:

“Having one of the biggest meetings of my professional life today…meeting a very controversial director for a very controversial part.”

Django Unchained is supposed to be highly controversial because it reportedly pulls no punches with regards to slavery and racial politics. Elba then followed-up by tweeting:

“I wish I could tell you more but…in due time. On the plane to the destination of my fate…..ok…. a lil dramatic….destination of my life..?”

There are a variety of controversial roles for controversial directors, and Django Unchained certainly fits the bill. However, it may not be for the role of Django. After all, it was implied that the reason The Weinstein Company partnered with Sony Pictures on distribution was to appeal to Smith since he’s got a strong relationship with Sony. Personally, I would love to see Elba star in a Tarantino film, and I think there’s some desire among Tarantino’s fans to see Smith not get the part because of his insistence on re-writing scripts (even though no one re-writes Tarantino) and more importantly, his clean-cut image trying to fit into a controversial role.

Then there’s DiCaprio who was already mentioned in connection with the project. On May 6th, Variety reported that “Tarantino is believed to have written the role of Dr. Schultz for DiCaprio, but when he passed, it was modified for Waltz.” But it’s possible that Tarantino hasn’t given up on DiCaprio and has offered him Candie instead. However, DiCaprio may have a scheduling conflict with Baz Luhrmann’s 3D adaptation of The Great Gatsby.

The Playlist points out that Goldsmith was one of the first people to report that Will Smith was up for Django and there have certainly been discussions with DiCaprio’s camp about joining the film. Furthermore, if Smith passed and the production went for Elba, they would most likely need a movie star of DiCaprio’s caliber just as Basterds needed Pitt.

But this is all speculation. Nothing’s been announced, discussions are happening behind closed doors, and there are plenty of roles to cast. But we’re always super-excited for anything Tarantino does so we’ll be sure to keep you updated about Django Unchained.

-Joey's Two Cents: DiCaprio would be great to see in a Tarantino flick, at least in my eyes. Thoughts?

Could Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained star Will Smith?

Quite possibly, according to Variety:

Will Smith is Quentin Tarantino's first choice for the lead in his latest project "Django Unchained," the director's new screenplay that's been making the Hollywood rounds over the past week.

Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" star Christoph Waltz is attached to play Dr. King Schultz, one of the pic's two leads. While the title role has yet to be cast, Tarantino wrote the script with Smith in mind, and multiple sources tell Variety that he's already been informally offered the role.

Story centers on a slave-turned-bounty hunter on a mission to rescue his wife Broomhilda from her sadistic slavemaster.

Insiders say Smith would be willing to give up his usual $20 million salary for the chance to tackle different, more controversial material -- just as Brad Pitt did to star in "Basterds." And Smith has long been seeking edgier roles.

Tarantino is said to have reached out to Pitt for one of the numerous juicy supporting roles in "Django," but the actor has decided not to pursue the project at this time.

Tarantino has also been looking to work with Leonardo DiCaprio. Several years ago, Variety reported that Tarantino was courting DiCaprio for the villainous role of Hans Landa in "Basterds," (July 15, 2008), which ultimately went to Waltz. Likewise, Tarantino is believed to have written the role of Dr. Schultz for DiCaprio, but when he passed, it was modified for Waltz.

Tarantino is also seeking a reunion with Samuel L. Jackson, who is being courted for the role of Stephen, the main servant to the chief antagonist in the Southern-flavored western.

The Weinstein Co. will distribute "Django Unchained," as Harvey Weinstein has handled distribution for all of Tarantino's movies. Perhaps coincidentally, Weinstein paid a visit Friday to CAA, which reps Smith.

-Joey's Two Cents: I'd love to see this casting come to fruition...thoughts?

Justin Bieber and Ashton Kutcher to Star in Teen Buddy Movie 'What Would Kenny Do?'

As if Justin Bieber doesn’t already have enough to keep him busy.

The L.A. Times is reporting that he has signed on with Ashton Kutcher for a new movie scheduled to begin shooting in late 2011.

“What would Kenny Do?” will be produced by Kutcher’s own production company, Katalyst Entertainment, and would cast both Bieber and Kutcher in lead roles.

The film is a buddy film that explores the relationship between a 17-year-old boy (Bieber) and his future self at age 30 (Kutcher). The struggling high school kid gets some guidance and life experience from a grown-up version of himself.

It’s not the first time the two A-listers and Twitter icons have tried to team up for a project. The two were in talks last year over Bieber talking the helm of a new “Punked” series but they couldn’t pull it off because of Justin’s tour schedule.

“What Would Kenny Do?” has been on the table for almost a year and it sounds like everybody is just waiting for Bieber’s European tour leg to finish. In fact, Will Smiths production company Overbrook Entertainment has now been attached to the project so we’ll probably see a cameo or two from his son, and Bieber pal, Jaden Smith.

Bieber is no stranger to big screen success as his box-office draw for “Never Say Never” grossed more than $70 million in the United States alone.

We think it will be a smash hit!

Jaden Smith Hired For New Science Fiction Movie - 'One Thousand A.E.'

Congrats to young Jaden Smith!

It seems being the young son of one of the most powerful movie producers in Hollywood has its benefits.

Hollywood Reporter is saying that Jaden Smith has been picked up for the M. Night Shyamalan Science Fiction movie “One Thousand A.E.”

Shyamalan will be working with the Production Company “Overbrook” which is run by Jaden’s real life mom and dad Will and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Set 1,000 years into the future, the movie centers on a young boy (Jaden) who navigates an abandoned and sometimes scary Earth to save himself and his estranged father after their ship crashes.

While the plot is being kept uber-scecret, it is known that the film was written specifically as a vehicle for Jaden. There is a main male lead but that actor has not been signed – nor has Will Smith expressed an interest in the role.

At just 13 years-old, Jaden is no stranger to the movie and music biz. In addition to his father being Will Smith, he just recently starred in “The Karate Kid” and sang the title track “Never Say Never” alongside Justin Bieber on his world tour.