SAN DIEGO - Kurt Russell will star as Stunt Man Mike in Quentin Tarantino's upcoming slasher film Death Proof, the writer-director said.

Death Proof is Tarantino's half of the Grindhouse double feature he is shooting with Robert Rodriguez for Dimension Films.

"I've always wanted to work with Kurt Russell," Tarantino said at the annual Comic-Con International convention in San Diego. "One of the things that was so great about his John Carpenter movies is the fact that there are a lot of serious actors who wouldn't do them. There's a playfulness about him going that way. Snake Plissken (in Carpenter's Escape From New York) is one of the most iconic characters in the last 20 years. I think Stunt Man Mike is one of the best characters I've ever written."

Mickey Rourke was originally envisaged for the role.

Tarantino plans to start production on Death Proof in four weeks.

Rodriguez showed footage from Planet Terror, his half of the Grindhouse feature, which he hopes to finish filming in Austin in a few days. The purposefully scratched digital footage, featuring Rose McGowan wearing a machine gun leg, earned a standing ovation from the 6,500 fans on hand.

"You guys are really special, you come down here, stand in line, and it's so hot down here," Rodriguez said, "that we wanted to show you something special."

In addition to Russell and McGowan, Tarantino's half of Grindhouse also will star Zoe Bell, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Jordan Ladd, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Marley Shelton, Tracie Thoms and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Rodriguez's half of the double-featured film will include Freddy Rodriguez, McGowan, Josh Brolin, Naveen Andrews, Shelton, Michael Biehn, Stacy Ferguson, Jeff Fahey and Michael Parks.

The film is scheduled to be released April 6.

Tarantino also elaborated on his long-rumoured pet project in downtown Los Angeles: "I've got the rights to one of the last Chinese-language movie theatres: the Tsing Lee," he said. "I plan on showing Chinese-language films there."

Tarantino also plans to make one Kill Bill anime feature prequel about Bill, as well as another about the Bride.

- REUTERS