Warner Bros. Wants Leonardo DiCaprio to Play The Joker and Jared Leto isn't Very Happy With This Whole Thing
A lot of fans were surprised when it was announced that Warner Bros. would be developing a Joker origin film with Martin Scorsese attached to produce. According to THR, one of the many reasons why the studio wanted Scorsese on board the project, was because they want him to help lure Leonardo DiCaprio into the role of The Joker!
Sources say, "Warners will make an ambitious attempt to use Scorsese to bring Leonardo DiCaprio into the world of comic-book movies." It would be crazy if they actually got DiCaprio to star in the film! This doesn't seem like the kind of project that would interest the actor, but if they deliver a great script for him to work with, maybe he'll actually do it.
As you know, Scorsese has a long history of making great films with DiCaprio and if anyone can talk him into jumping on board this movie it's Scorsese. The report goes on to say:
There's no offer for DiCaprio, and sources say Scorsese's deal to produce isn't even done yet. The chances of landing DiCaprio could be slim to none. But the attempt in itself sends a signal to talent that Warners wants to hire serious filmmakers to make serious films.
We know the Joker origin film will be a standalone film that will in no way be a part of the DCEU. It was also recently rumored that the film would give us a glimpse into what life for The Joker was like as a kid. However, if they are looking at an older A-list actor to play the character, this child version of The Joker obviously won't be the main aspect of the story.
I thought for sure they would go with a younger version of Joker since they are calling this an origin film. That would clearly set it apart from Jared Leto's version of the character, but the fact they are looking at an actor as old as DiCaprio is interesting. They are obviously just looking at playing with a different version of the character and apparently, Leto isn't happy about it. The report says:
Leto is said to have made his displeasure with the notion of multiple Jokers known to his CAA agents, and rival agency WME has been using the concern to court him.
Leto is set to reprise his role as the Joker in the upcoming Joker and Harley Quinn movie. Whatever ends up happening, the studio hopes that they can land DiCaprio or another A-List actor to play the Clown Prince of Crime "as a gritty crime boss in a Scorsese-esque Gotham underworld."
You know what? I can actually get behind a DiCaprio and Scorsese Joker film. I'm a big fan of both talents and if they came together to give us a Joker movie with Todd Phillips directing, I can't help but think that it would be great! I also think DiCaprio would be a much better version of The Joker than Leto.
What do you think about all this?!