While John Sayles is best known as one of the pioneering independent filmmakers of American cinema, he’s also a writer and director of varying interests. He’s had no hesitation working within the studio system, directing one of the all time great baseball movies in “Eight Men Out,” and lending his pen to fare as wide reaching as “E.T.” (he worked on an early draft), “Jurassic Park IV” (which obviously didn’t get made), and “The Spiderwick Chronicles.” Now, he’s going to saddle up for a western.
Showbiz 411 reports that Sayles will write and direct “Django Lives!” starring Franco Nero. While Nero’s spaghetti western franchise has been going for decades, kicking off with the 1966 Sergio Corbucci-directed “Django,” and spawning over thirty sequels, it was Quentin Tarantino‘s “Django Unchained” that shined a major light back on the series. Tarantino not only cited “Django” as an influence, he slotted a role for Nero in his picture too.
Of course, “Django Lives!” won’t be connected to ‘Unchained,’ but Sayles’ involvement is both unexpected and exciting. He doesn’t do straight genre very often, but this sounds like it will have a heckuva twist, with the storyline finding Django working as an extra on D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation.” I can only imagine that Sayles will use the opportunity to address some of the racial politics of the era, all couched in a wild western. And oh, as for “To Save The Man” which was announced a while back as Sayles’ next film? He’s still looking for financing. Let’s hope that one doesn’t go away.