Quentin Tarantino's creepy Roman Polanski tape brings his upcoming Charles Manson movie into question

Quentin Tarantino, here in a 2016 photo, came out in defense of his colleague Roman Polanski in a 2003 interview. (Reuters)

Pressure is building for Sony Pictures to cancel its upcoming Quentin Tarantino-directed Charlies Manson movie after audio of the famed director defending Roman Polanski resurfaced.

In a 2003 Howard Stern interview, Tarantino said the 13-year-old girl Polanksi was convicted of raping "wanted to have" sex with Roman Polanski. The tape resurfaced one day after Tarantino had to defend himself against Uma Thurman's claims that the director almost killed her in a "Kill Bill" stunt that went wrong in 2003.

Quentin Tarantino disputed Uma Thurman's claims he forced her to drive a car in a stunt gone wrong in the 2003 film "Kill Bill." (Miramax)

"He had sex with a minor," Tarantino said in 2003. "That’s not rape. To me, when you use the word rape, you’re talking about violent, throwing them down – it’s like one of the most violent crimes in the world … she wanted to have [sex]! Dated the guy!"

Tarantino's alleged violent behavior while directing films -- including spitting at and choking Thurman for a scene in "Kill Bill" -- and his defense of Polanski's actions have many people calling for his downfall.

In a 2003 interview with Howard Stern that recently resurfaced, Quentin Tarantino defended fellow director Roman Polanski (pictured) from allegations he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl. (Reuters)

Polanski will be a significant character in Tarantino's yet-to-be-titled Sony Pictures film about the Manson murders, slated to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the murders next year. Sharon Tate, who was killed in the famed crime, was married to Polanski. The Tarantino movie is one of several coming out about the subject ahead of the milestone anniversary.

“Now Tarantino is going to make a movie about Polanski. Why is someone financing this?” director Judd Apatow tweeted.

Others on social media echoed Apatow's outrage.

Sony Pictures reportedly bought Tarantino's Manson film for $100 million. Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie are rumored to star in the film and a Care2 petition for DiCaprio to drop out of the movie has garnered thousands of signatures.

Reps for the actors and for Sony did not return Fox News' requests for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.