Samuel L. Jackson and Maggie Cheung Signs On for Inglourious Basterds!

The highly anticipated Quentin Tarantino project “Inglorious Basterds” has added two more to its cast - Academy Award-nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson and one time Cannes Best Actress Maggie Cheung.

“Inglourious Basterds” begins in German-occupied France, where Shosanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema.

Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as “The Basterds,” Raine’s squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquee, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own.

The Playlist says that Jackson, who called Tarantino himself to ask for a role in the movie, will be the narrator and will appear only a few times throughout. Meanwhile, Maggie Cheung (Hero, Clean) has been cast as Madame Mimieux, the French matron of the Cinematheque that takes in the protagonist Shosanna (Melanie Laurent) when she becomes homeless and is being sought by the Nazis.

The film is currently shooting in Europe and also stars Eli Roth, Mike Myers and Michael Fassbender.

“Inglourious Basterds” will be released in 2009, and will possibly debut at the Cannes Film Festival.

Diane Kruger, Christoph Waltz and Paul Rust Join “Inglorious Bastards”!

Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger, Christoph Waltz and Paul Rust have all joined Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming World War II flick “Inglorious Bastards“. They’ll co-star along side Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, Mike Myers, Michael Fassbender, B.J. Novak and Samm Levine.

Diane Kruger (”Troy”, “National Treasure”) will handle the role of German actress Bridget Von Hammersmark. Her character will figure into the plot to kill the Nazis. Actress Nastassja Kinski was first rumored to be up for the role.

The flick is set during World War II where a band of U.S. soldiers, who are facing death by firing squad for their misdeeds, are given a chance to redeem themselves by heading into the perilous no-man’s lands of Nazi-occupied France on a suicide mission for the Allies.

Variety reports the film is set to begin production on Oct. 13 with shooting taking place in Germany.