The Joker standalone movie — yup, it’s in the works — is a huge point of discussion right now. The involvement of filmmakers Todd Phillips and Martin Scorsese has made the DC project extremely intriguing, but there is still a lot that’s up in the air. Most importantly, who is going to play the Clown Prince of Crime? Well, Warner Bros. is reportedly seeking one of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Leonardo DiCaprio?!?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a big reason that Scorsese was brought on to the project was to hopefully court Leo for the lead role. Now, it’s worth noting that Scorsese hasn’t closed his producer deal just yet. A lot will be riding on that contingency. But, if Scorsese does sign the contract, it makes sense that he’d be there to try and woo Leo into the project.
DiCaprio and Scorsese have worked together on numerous films, and a lot of those movies have been the best showcases of Leo’s talent. The Wolf of Wall Street alone is a fantastic display of Leo’s diversity and power as an actor. And his villainous turn as Calvin Candie in Django Unchained proves he’s more than capable of being an over-the-top and menacing figure. Just watch the infamous dinner scene where Leo actually cut his hand during the shoot and kept on going, even incorporating his injury into the scene. WARNING: The below video is NSFW for language and content.
This Sounds Perfect
Look, we’re all pretty anxious about this potential Joker origin movie. But, the idea that Leo would be able to put his own unique spin on the greatest comic book villain of all time is too good to pass up.
Plus, the idea that this will be a film that exists outside of the DC Extended Universe makes it all the more enticing. Leo and all the filmmakers involved would have total freedom to craft whatever take on the character they want. That kind of freedom feels bizarrely fresh in a world of shared universe films.
Not to mention that Jared Leto’s performance as the Joker in Suicide Squad was not widely beloved by fans. This would be an interesting opportunity to see the character shine on his own since Suicide Squad didn’t give him enough screen time to make a powerful impression. And no matter what the outcome, you know Leo will leave an impression as the Joker.
This is all up in the air right now but we’ll keep our eyes and ears open. Here’s hoping this actually comes together. It’s so crazy that it just might work.
