Warner Bros. looks to be swinging for the fences when it comes to The Joker.
Not only has the studio entered negotiations with legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese about the possibility of producing the “super dark” origin movie, one which Todd Phillips (The Hangover) would direct, but just this week we heard that WB brass are targeting none other than Leonardo DiCaprio for the gig.
Details are scarce, and it’s unclear how the studio plans to incorporate the A-list star into the mix if The Joker is to be an origin story involving the Clown Prince of Crime, but The Wrap is now telling us that THR’s initial report may have been a bit premature, as according to them, the chances of DiCaprio actually signing on are “slim to none.” They also mention that Scorsese’s involvement is only in the “very early stages,” which would seem to indicate that there’s at least a chance his deal will fall through.
Now, none of this is to say that a DiCaprio/Scorsese Joker film isn’t happening, just that it might not be as sure of a thing as earlier reports made it out to be. All we can confirm with certainty right now is that Todd Phillips is directing and writing the script.
Admittedly, Marty is probably a lock as well – as we don’t see that falling through at this point – but we can’t say the same for Leo. At least not based on what The Wrap is telling us here. Don’t get us wrong, we’d love to see the actor play the iconic villain just as much as anyone else, but from the sounds of it, having him involved is more just wishful thinking right now and far from a sure thing. Time will tell, though.
The Joker is still simmering in the formative stages of development, but we’ll be keeping a close eye on the project – including DiCaprio’s potential involvement in it – as more details begin to emerge. In the meantime, you can share your preliminary thoughts and reactions to the film via the comments section below.
