Bryan McAllister’s personal reference notebook
July 30, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
Screen & Stage • Film

Django Unchained

Django Unchained is a 2012 American western drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.

Updated July 30, 20261 min readCited sources

Django Unchained is a 2012 American western drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It follows a freed slave who partners with a German bounty hunter to rescue his wife from a Mississippi plantation owner.

What it is

Set two years before the U.S. Civil War, the film centres on Django (Jamie Foxx), a formerly enslaved man. He is freed by Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a German bounty hunter who needs Django’s help identifying wanted criminals. The pair later travel to rescue Django’s wife, Broomhilda, from Calvin Candie’s plantation.

Key details

Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed the film. The principal cast includes Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, and Samuel L. Jackson. The runtime is 165 minutes, and it is rated R for strong language and graphic violence.

Reception and release

Django Unchained was released in 2012, with a wide theatrical release in the United States on 25 December 2012. It was produced by The Weinstein Company and A Band Apart. Canadian viewers saw it as a widely released Hollywood film screened internationally.

In short

  • Set in the U.S. two years before the Civil War.
  • Centers on a freed slave seeking to reunite with his wife.
  • Features a partnership with German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz.
  • Released in 2012 with a runtime of 2 hours 45 minutes.
Canadian angle

Canadian viewers know Django Unchained as a widely released Hollywood film that was screened and distributed internationally, including in Canada.

Quick questions

What is Django Unchained about?
It follows Django, a freed slave, who teams up with a German bounty hunter to rescue his wife from a plantation owner in Mississippi.
Who directed Django Unchained?
Quentin Tarantino directed and wrote the film.
When was Django Unchained released?
It was released in 2012, with a U.S. wide release on 25 December 2012.

Sources

  1. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1853728/
    Supports: Release year, runtime, rating, and plot synopsis
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/django_unchained_2012
    Supports: Director, genre, rating, release date, runtime, and synopsis
  3. Movie Insider — https://www.movieinsider.com/m8982/django-unchained
    Supports: Release date, runtime, plot summary, cast, and production details
  4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Unchained
    Supports: Basic film identification and plot context