Eli Roth on deck for 'Bastards'

Tarantino to set full cast of war epic shortly

By MICHAEL FLEMING, TATIANA SIEGEL

Roth

"Hostel" director Eli Roth is on deck to play a baseball bat-swinging Nazi hunter in "Inglorious Bastards," the Quentin Tarantino-directed drama that begins production this fall in Europe for the Weinstein Co. and Universal Pictures.

Brad Pitt is in talks to play Aldo Raine, leader of a rogue band of Jewish-American soldiers who wreak havoc on the bad guys in Nazi-occupied France.

Roth is in talks to play Sgt. Donnie Donowitz.

Roth played a small role in Tarantino's "Death Proof" segment of "Grindhouse" and directed one of the fake movie trailers that played during the film. Tarantino was an executive producer and lent his name as a presenter on Roth's breakout directing hit, "Hostel."

Tarantino is expected to formalize his cast shortly.

Tarantino had planned to meet with Leonardo DiCaprio for the role of SS Col. Hans Landa, only to decide that the role should be played by a German actor.