“Django Unchained” has officially wrapped production.
“Well, we did it! At 1:23 AM, we wrapped up the extraordinary journey that has been the filming of Django Unchained,” began producer Stacey Sher, writing on her Facebook page early Wednesday morning. “126 (or 130 depending on who is doing the counting) of challenging, magical, incredible adventures from Simi Valley, to the Alabama Hills, to the frozen Grand Tetons, to the swamps and plantations of New Orleans and back to Simi Valley once again!”
Continued the producer: “It has been an honor to go on this epic journey with the greatest partners: My fellow producers, the unbelievably brilliant cast, the most inspiring and hardworking crew (not to mention the most fun) all brought together by the genius and imagination of QT! Post Production here we come! Django, we will never forget you.”
Of all the adjectives used by Sher to describe the process, “challenging” seems like perhaps the most accurate one for those who have been paying attention, with what seemed for a time like a revolving door of talent entering and then exiting the cast in quick succession (Kevin Costner, Sacha Baron Cohen and Kurt Russell were all attached at one point or another). Not to mention that 130 days is a damn long time to shoot a movie.
As Sher mentioned, Tarantino now enters the post-production phase, and he has his work cut out for him if he’s going to make the film’s December 25 release date.
Will you be seeing “Django Unchained” when it hits theaters? Sound off in the comments!
Official synopsis:
Set in the South two years before the Civil War, “Django Unchained” stars Academy Award®-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award®-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles – dead or alive.
Success leads Schultz to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South”s most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago.
Django and Schultz”s search ultimately leads them to Calvin Candie (Academy Award®-nominee Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of “Candyland,” an infamous plantation where slaves are groomed by trainer Ace Woody (Kurt Russell) to battle each other for sport. Exploring the compound under false pretenses, Django and Schultz arouse the suspicion of Stephen (Academy Award®-nominee Samuel L. Jackson), Candie”s trusted house slave. Their moves are marked, and a treacherous organization closes in on them. If Django and Schultz are to escape with Broomhilda, they must choose between independence and solidarity, between sacrifice and survival…
Written and directed by Academy Award®-winner Quentin Tarantino, DJANGO UNCHAINED is produced by Stacey Sher, Pilar Savone and Reginald Hudlin. The executive producers are Harvey and Bob Weinstein, Michael Shamberg, Shannon McIntosh, and James Skotchdopole. DJANGO UNCHAINED will be released in the U.S. on December 25, 2012, and internationally by Sony Pictures Releasing International.