Django Unchained action figures no longer in production

Action figures based on characters in Quentin Tarantino's new movie Django Unchained have been pulled from the production line following protests from civil rights activists.

The Western, which stars Jamie Foxx and Leonardo DiCaprio, is set in slavery-era Mississippi in 1858, and the repeated use of racial slurs throughout the movie has sparked widespread controversy.

The manufacturers of the toy figures depicting characters from the film drew criticism from human rights leaders, with representatives from Reverend Al Sharpton's National Action Network (NAC) calling on fans to boycott the dolls as they "make a mockery of slavery", insisting they are "highly offensive to our ancestors and the African American community".

The cutting comments appear to have made an impact on bosses at The Weinstein Company, the firm behind Tarantino's Oscar nominated film, and production on the action dolls has been shut down, reports TMZ.com.