Although we've just recently opined on how The Joker origins film is a terrible idea, it seems Warner Bros. is putting real stock behind it.
A report by THR has it that none other than one-time Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio is being sought to play The Joker, and that Martin Scorsese's inclusion as executive producer was, in part, to help secure DiCaprio in the role.
However, Scorsese's deal with Warners hasn't yet been finalised and THR's source claims that the chances of nailing DiCaprio for the role are "slim to none," but it does speak to the fact that the DC Universe is now being splintered at will. Already, Matt Reeves has had to backtrack comments about his upcoming Batman movie not being part of the DCEU, and every report about the Joker film have specifically pointed out that it's separate from the current model of the character.
In fact, Leonardo DiCaprio being courted for the role has allegedly upset the current Joker, Jared Leto, to the point that he may be dropping his agents for bungling the whole thing. Warners' strategy is to make standalone movies with directors and actors who don't usually appear in comic-book movies, with a separate label for them from the current DCEU. The Joker origins story, it's understood, will be the first of this label with more on the way.
So, thoughts? As we mentioned at the top, the idea of a Joker origins story is just plain daft - and there isn't a snowball's chance in hell of getting Leonardo DiCaprio to become Joker, even if they get Martin Scorsese to direct it, never mind produce it. Moreover, War Dogs wasn't that good a film - so trying to get Todd Phillips to direct it isn't going to much of a pull, either. The only person that Leonardo DiCaprio could have possibly considered working with is Christopher Nolan, and he did that already with Inception.
If it comes together with DiCaprio as The Joker, brilliant, but don't hold out hope for this coming together.
Via THR