It’s never easy performing in the shadow of greats, which is why whoever is the next to spread on the Joker makeup will have a daunting task. Imagine trying to upstage Jack Nicholson or Heath Ledger? Good luck with that. Yet if I recall, the internet lost its shit when Ledger was original cast, and he eventually put on one of the greatest comic book performances of all time. Filling either shoe won’t be easy, but Warner Bros. Pictures is hoping they’ll find someone confident enough to dye their hair green and laugh all the way to the bank.
THR is reporting that Warners has set their sights on Leonardo DiCaprio to play the title character in the origin story being directed by Todd Phillips and produced by Martin Scorsese. The report appears to be hyper premature, however, as there’s no offer for DiCaprio, and sources say Scorsese’s deal to produce isn’t even done yet. The chances of landing DiCaprio could be slim to none. But the attempt in itself sends a signal to talent that Warners wants to hire serious filmmakers to make serious films.
For Joker, which could be the initial entry for the label, sources say the studio and Phillips would want DiCaprio or another A-lister to play the character as a gritty crime boss in a Scorsese-esque Gotham underworld.
There’s an interesting addition to the story, which alleges that Jared Leto, who played Joker in Suicide Squad, is super pissed off.
“Insiders say Jared Leto, the actor who portrayed the Clown Prince of Crime in last summer’s Suicide Squad and is slated to reprise the character not just for a sequel but for another spinoff movie (with DC villainess Harley Quinn), was caught off-guard by the plans. Leto is said to have made his displeasure with the notion of multiple Jokers known to his CAA agents, and rival agency WME has been using the concern to court him.”
It’s a bit confusing as to why Warner Bros. would want to put so many Joker projects in the fire and have various actors portraying him. It’s not only confusing but it’s also a dangerous game to be playing; fans have become burnt out by the Spider-Man films and Sony’s latest sequel underperformed even with the star power that included Iron Man.
No matter, we live in a world where several Batman spinoffs and even more superhero films are in the works. What a time to be alive!
