Leonardo DiCaprio Set to Play RASPUTIN

Warner Bros. has picked up a pitch for a film about Rasputin, and they are going to develop it for Leonardo DiCaprio who will play the title character. The studio acquired the pitch from American Sniper scribe Jason Hall, who will also write the script. This screenwriter is on fire right now. On top of American Sniper, which is being directed by Steven Spielberg, he's also writing another film for the director called Thank You For Your Service, which could star Daniel Day-Lewis. 

Rasputin will follow the "Russian mystic who became an advisor to the Russian Imperial family the Romanovs. Embraced by Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra as a healer for their only son, Tsarevich Alexei, who secretly suffered from hemophilia, Rasputin’s influence with the family in all matters grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him, finally succeeding in 1916."

There have been several movies made about Rasputin over the years but according to Deadline, "there were new elements here unearthed by Hall that sparked DiCaprio’s interest and gave psychological depth to the so called 'mad monk.' To his enemies, he was a charlatan who prolifically bedded women, possibly including the Tsar’s wife. DiCaprio liked the complicated elements of a child who lost the better part of himself when his brother died, and was capable of kindness but also a ruthlessness. Rasputin, who earlier had survived being stabbed, was shot, strangled, shot again, all in one night, and finally drowned when thrown into the icy Neva River."

If there's a great movie to be made out of the story of Rasputin, this is going to be it. It will be interesting to see DiCaprio in a role like this. I'm sure he'll be able to pull it off.