Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight Teaser Reveals Character Names, Confirms 70mm

This week will see the debut of The Hateful Eight teaser. The first vid ad for Quentin Tarantino's upcoming western will be revealed ahead of the theatrical release of his dear old Grindhouse buddy Robert Rodriguez's new movie, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For. But you don't have to see the sequel to Sin City to get a taste of this teaser.

Collider reports a run-down of the trailer. As the film won't go into production until 2015, there's no footage to speak of. Instead, The Hateful Eight opens on snow-covered dunes while a "western-style ballad" plays over title cards that tell of strangers being forced together after being stranded in a blizzard. "They soon discovered they shared a deadly connection" reads the titles before blood splatters across them.

The music picks up as a new title card emerges: "The New Film by Quentin Tarantino." Then comes a list of the characters. We'll reveal them below along with pictures of the performers who played them at The Hateful Eight Live Read last May.

Major Marquis Warren: "The Bounty Hunter"

Samuel L. Jackson read the role at LACMA, and is expected to appear in The Hateful Eight. which will mark his seventh collaboration with Tarantino, following True Romance, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill Vol. 2, Inglorious Basterds, and Django Unchained.

John Ruth: "The Hangman"

Kurt Russell, who previously appeared in Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof as a homicidal stuntman, seems set to reprise the role, as he's tipped the film's production start.

Daisy Domergue: "The Prisoner"

An unexpected member of the Hateful Eight is Amber Tamblyn. Sure, she had a cameo in Django Unchained, but the poet/actress is far better known for family friendly fare like Two and a Half Men and Joan of Arcadia. Relying on stills from the staged reading, we're betting Daisy is the prisoner of Russell's Hangman.

Chris Mannix: "The Sheriff"

Walter Goggins--also of Django Unchained--took this part for The Hateful Eight's first public outing.

Bob: "The Mexican"

Denis Ménochet, the French actor who faced off against Christoff Waltz at the start of Inglorious Basterds, is set to once more play the part of Bob. Curiously, his character is called "Frenchman Bob" on IMDB at present.

Oswald Mobray: "The Little Man"

Tim Roth (Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs) lent his angry intensity to this part, and could well do it for the movie.

Joe Gage: "The Cow Puncher"

What kind of man is called "The Cow Puncher?" The kind recurring Tarantino collaborator Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill Vol. 1) seems set to play.

General Sandy Smithers: "The Confederate"

Last but not least, a Southern general who seems sure to be salty will be played by Bruce Dern, who won rave reviews for his lead turn in Nebraska last year.

The teaser draws to a close as bloody numbers tick to 8, then reads: "8 MAKES HATE". Gunfire tears it apart to read "The H8Ful Eight". The music turns more classic western with whistling. A title card reads "From Academy Award Winner Quentin Tarantino," then is replaced with "See It in Glorious 70mm {Super Cinemascope}"--a thrilling promise to cinephiles! Then "2015." Fade to black.

If Quentin Tarantino stays true to the casting he presented last spring, we should also see James Remar play Jody, Dana Courrier as Minnie, James Parks as O.B., and Zoe Bell as Six Horse Judy.

The Hateful Eight will hit theaters in December of 2015.

Kristy Puchko

Staff writer at CinemaBlend.