'Hateful 8' Trailer, Release Date News, Cast Rumors [SPOILERS] Jennifer Jason Leigh Is Quentin Tarantino's Leading Woman In Upcoming Western Film - Shoots In January, Hits Theaters Fall 2015

After months and months of casting rumors, it looks like Quentin Tarantino's new western-styled movie The Hateful 8 (or stylized as The H8ful Eight) has found its leading lady in Jennifer Jason Leigh. This news thwarts other rising speculation that Jennifer Lawrence was up for a role, with the director choosing an actress that is ripe with talent but might not be on everyone's minds these days. This is a wise and bold move by the director known for his, well, wise and bold decisions! Leigh will begin shooting with the rest of the yet-to-be-named cast in early 2015 with an autumn release date as the aim for theaters.

Kurt Russell and Samuel L. Jackson have all but been confirmed to star in the Django Unchained follow up project with Bruce Dern, Michael Madsen, Viggo Mortensen, James Remar, and Walter Goggins remaining as rumored cast members for now.

The news of Jennifer Jason Leigh landing the leading role in the next Tarantino film comes from The Wrap, which points out that the actress was actually at the live-reading of Tarantino's script during the time he had scrapped the idea of making it into a movie. She was sitting next to producers Harvey and Bob Weinstein, who most likely enjoyed her table-read performance so much that they pushed for her to lead the film - or perhaps Quentin wanted her in the role an the producers were quick to agree. We'll have to wait and see what the director and the producers say about this casting news in the coming weeks.

What do you think of this casting news? Let us know in the comments section below!

(via The Wrap / Film Drunk)