Rumor: Quentin Tarantino Could Still Make 'The Hateful Eight'

Is this a rumor based in fact, or simply wishful thinking? Recently Quentin Tarantino said he would scuttle his planned film The Hateful Eight after the script leaked around Hollywood. (While the leak was initially an industry-only thing, the script quickly reached all corners of the internet.) In his fury at the first draft going public, Tarantino said he would bail on directing the movie, and focus instead on another film idea he's been working on. The Hateful Eight would be published as a book, he said, but that was small consolation to those interested in seeing the film.

But now new rumors say that he's going to direct the film after all.

Jeff Sneider of The Wrap (via The Playlist) pushed the rumor forward, saying that Tarantino would rewrite the script, and that he has approached Samuel L. Jackson about a role:

RUMOR: THE HATEFUL EIGHT is back on, as sources tell ME that Quentin has reached out to Sam Jackson in the wk since he called off the movie.

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) February 1, 2014

A representative for Samuel L. Jackson did not respond to MULTIPLE requests for comment over the last 4 days. Same goes for QT's reps at WME

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) February 1, 2014

I am not allowed to officially report this, so I have decided to share it as a rumor w/ my loyal fans on Twitter. Stay tuned! #HatefulEight

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) February 1, 2014

I'm told that the initial betrayal came as a shock, but QT has calmed down & is having second thoughts about moving on. Will rewrite script.

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) February 1, 2014

This would be good news to anyone ready for an even more unconventional western from Tarantino. I've held off on reading The Hateful Eight, but the description pegs it as a movie with a difficult set of central characters (they're "hateful," after all) and a structure that seems at first blush to be more stage-ready than anything else. But Reservoir Dogs could be said to be stage-ready, too, and that turned out just fine.

The five-chapter script follows two bounty hunters who seek to bring a wanted man to justice, and observes as they take refuge from a blizzard, which puts them and several other characters in one confined space for much of the film. The fireworks of the script are said to be in conversation rather than action, marking the tale as a continuation of the dialogue-heavy approach Tarantino has always had, but which he has developed in more detail over his past few films.