While everyone’s rightfully excited that Quentin Tarantino is merely weeks away from starting production on his new pic Django Unchained, it’s also a somewhat bittersweet occasion. This will be Tarantino’s first film without beloved editor Sally Menke, who passed away suddenly at the age of 56 last September. Menke worked closely with Tarantino on each of his movies, earning Oscar nominations for her work on Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds. While it's sad to think that Tarantino won't be collaborating with Menke on his "Southern", it appears that he's settled on an editor for the flick.

The Quentin Tarantino Archives reports that Fred Raskin will be handling editorial duties, with Robert Richardson (Inglourious Basterds) returning as director of photography. Raskin served as assistant editor on both Kill Bill flicks, so he has some experience with Tarantino's work. His credits as sole editor include Fast Five and Annapolis. Richardson’s return is much welcome, as his stellar resume includes shooting Kill Bill, The Aviator, and Shutter Island, as well as the aforementioned Inglourious Basterds. Django Unchained stars Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, and Leonardo DiCaprio, and opens on December 25th, 2012.