Warner Bros Wants To Add Some Class To Its Joker Movie With Leonardo DiCaprio

When news broke that Warner Bros and DC were planning a film about the origins of the Joker, many were surprised to see Martin Scorsese‘s name attached a producer – I mean, why would the director of prestigious-as-fuck films like Taxi Driver and Goodfellas willingly associate himself with the cinematic universe that gave birth to Suicide Squad?

If recent developments are any indication, it turns out that they may have been courting Marty in order to get to one of his famous friends, with The Hollywood Reporter claiming that the studio is eyeing Leonardo DiCaprio for the title role.

DiCaprio has starred in many of Scorsese’s recent films, including The Wolf Of Wall StreetShutter Island and The Departed, but has never done a comic book movie before, so this would be his first, and a star of his calibre would be guaranteed awards-bait for Warners.

Director Todd Phillips is said to be keen on Leo, although the deal is by no means done – a formal offer has not yet been made to the star, and word is that Scorsese himself is still not one hundred percent on-board to produce, so this is still in the realm of speculation.

If the stand-alone Joker movie does go ahead, The Hollywood Reporter claim that it will be unconnected to the world of Suicide Squad and Justice League and will instead be an artier, “non-traditional take” on a classic villain.

Leo would potentially be playing the Joker as “a gritty crime boss in a Scorsese-esque Gotham underworld”, and look, we’re not not on board with that, because it sounds like a pretty intriguing premise.

Irrespective of all that, the current Joker Jared Leto is still said to be pissed that a different ’90s heartthrob is potentially muscling in on his territory.

Leto is set to reprise his role from Suicide Squad in at least two more films, including a spin-off with Margot Robbie‘s Harley Quinn, but sources say he was “caught off guard” by the prospect of multiple Jokers, and has “made his displeasure known” to his agents.

We look forward to seeing how this plays out.

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