Superhero movies have become without question the most successful genre in the industry for better or worse. Fewer and fewer films are being made by major studios these days meaning the ones they do make have to turn a profit. Because of this, superheroes are the safest bet.
For actors, a major role in a comic book movie means a stepping stone to a bigger profile and sequels which then lead to more money and relevancy. These factors might be the reason why Leonardo DiCaprio has never dawned the spandex and put on a cape.
He’s arguably our biggest movie star for several reasons. For one, he hasn’t had a bomb in nearly a decade (J. Edgar). He also consistently works with the best directors including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino. And the last reason is that he’s never made a sequel. No matter what genre he enters with any given project, it almost always becomes a hit, meaning he doesn’t need to do a superhero film. He’s also the quintessential old school playboy movie star who stays out of the limelight, dates countless beautiful women and rarely gives interviews. He’s truly a man from another era.
But he also hasn’t ruled out starring in a comic book movie. While speaking with ShortList, DiCaprio said he simply hasn’t found the right project. He doesn’t seem like the type who would want to sign multi-picture deals with say Marvel, either. But no matter the story, it comes down to the characters and the script.
“You never know. They’re getting better and better as far as complex characters in these movies. I haven’t yet. But no, I don’t rule out anything,” he said.
Films like Logan and Joker no doubt made him look at the genre a little different. And in the case of Joker, DiCaprio’s frequent muse, Martin Scorsese, was a producer on the film, so there could be a path down the road for him to enter that world.
But again, Leonardo DiCaprio is doing just fine. He doesn’t need to do comic book movies. He’s our most bankable star at the moment and he’s also 45 years old, so it’s not exactly like he’d have too many years left to play a superhero anyways.
