Quentin Tarantino's new film will feature disgraced director Roman Polanski as a character.

Tentatively titled 1969, the LA-set film will use the Charles Manson cult murders as a backdrop to an exploration of Hollywood. Roman Polanski's wife and Fearless Vampire Killers co-star Sharon Tate was heavily pregnant with their child when she was killed by the death cult.

Variety journalist Justin Kroll tweeted that the main character in the film, expected to be played by Leonardo DiCaprio, will be Sharon Tate's next-door neighbour, and that Tarantino is looking for a Polish speaker to play the role of Polanski.

It's understood that Tarantino seeks to cast Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad) as Tate in the film, which will be his ninth outing as writer and director. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise have expressed interest in playing the film's stunt man character.

Polanski has lived in exile from Hollywood after pleading guilty to having unlawful sex with a 13-year-old model in 1977. Despite this controversy, he has continued to make films in Europe and won the Best Picture Oscar for The Pianist.