Kurt Russell is believed to be in discussions about replacing Kevin Costner in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino film Django Unchained. If Russell does agree to a role in the film, it will mark his second team-up with the director, following 2007’s exploitation homage Death Proof. Russell, 60, is most famous for his roles in the cult John Carpenter films Escape from New York and The Thing, but has largely been absent from cinema screens in the four years following his memorable performance as a serial killer in Death Proof.

The role Russell is in talks over is that of Ace, described as a vicious, sadistic henchman. The film itself is set in the American South and centres on a newly freed slave attempting to save his wife from Leonardo Di Caprio’s villainous plantation owner. Kevin Costner had originally been set to portray the character of Ace, before the actor withdrew from the project in September due to scheduling conflicts; but securing Russell as a replacement would allow the film to go into production in November as planned.

The departure of Costner from the project was the second problem to hit Tarantino’s spaghetti western, following the injury sustained by another member of the cast, Christopher Waltz. Waltz dislocated a pelvic bone while learning to ride a horse in training for the film, which is also set to feature Oscar winner Jamie Foxx in the title role, along with Samuel L Jackson, and is due to open in American cinemas on Christmas Day 2012.

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