Quentin Tarantino has shelved plans to direct western The Hateful Eight, his followup to Django Unchained, after the film's script was leaked.

Speaking to Deadline, an angry Tarantino said he would publish the screenplay instead, and described himself as "very, very depressed" over the experience. He claims to have given the script to just six actors.

"I finished a script, a first draft, and I didn't mean to shoot it until next winter, a year from now," said the Oscar-winning film-maker. "I gave it to six people, and apparently it's gotten out today.

"I gave it to one of the producers on Django Unchained, Reggie Hudlin, and he let an agent come to his house and read it. That's a betrayal, but not crippling because the agent didn't end up with the script."

Tarantino said he first realised the screenplay had leaked when his agent began to receive calls from Hollywood agents keen to pitch their clients for roles in the western. "There is an ugly maliciousness to the rest of it," he said. "I gave it to three actors: Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth. The one I know didn't do this is Tim Roth. One of the others let their agent read it, and that agent has now passed it on to everyone in Hollywood. I don't know how these fucking agents work, but I'm not making this next. I'm going to publish it, and that's it for now. I give it out to six people, and if I can't trust them to that degree, then I have no desire to make it. I'll publish it. I'm done. I'll move on to the next thing. I've got 10 more where that came from."

The Hateful Eight's existence was revealed only last week when a number of US sites revealed it would be Tarantino's next film. The director has previously revealed his plans for a second western after he "taught myself how to make one" via Django Unchained. The now-abandoned film's title is a riff on western The Magnificent Seven (and by extension that film's inspiration, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai).

The Hateful Eight was expected to feature Nebraska's Bruce Dern, the 77-year-old actor currently riding high on the success of Alexander Payne's Cannes hit, as part of an ensemble. Other names reported to be attached included Christoph Waltz, though Tarantino said the double Oscar-winner had not received the script.

"I hadn't given it to Christoph, I haven't given it to Sam Jackson," he said. "I gave it to three motherfucking actors. We met in a place, and I put it in their hands. It's got to be either the agents of Dern or Madsen. Please name names."

The director, who admitted during the interview that he could yet change his mind, said he hoped shelving the film would discourage future leaks. "I am not talking out of both sides of my mouth, because I do like the fact that everyone eventually posts it, gets it and reviews it on the net," Tarantino said. "Frankly, I wouldn't want it any other way. I like the fact that people like my shit, and that they go out of their way to find it and read it. But I gave it to six motherfucking people! Starting this week, I'll be setting meetings with publishers."

The script for Django Unchained also leaked, in May 2011.