LATEST: Director Quentin Tarantino has confirmed action star Kurt Russell will star in his new horror movie collaboration with Robert Rodriguez - and he insists the collaboration is a dream come true. Tarantino had hoped to cast Mickey Rourke as serial killer STUNTMAN MIKE in DEATHPROOF - his half of the GRINDHOUSE double bill he is making with Sin City director Rodriguez. But Rourke turned down the part earlier this month (JUL06), and Tarantino immediately turned to Russell because of his starring roles as SNAKE PLISSKEN in John Carpenter's Escape from New York and ESCAPE FROM LA. He says, "I've always wanted to work with Kurt Russell. 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 is one of the most iconic characters in the last 20 years. I think Stuntman Mike is one of the best characters I've ever written." Tarantino will begin filming Death Proof next month (AUG06).