The Joker Origin Movie: Leonardo DiCaprio Is Warner Bros.’ Top Choice To Play The Iconic Villain

Warner Bros is looking at expanding the DC Extended Universe even further. After delivering blockbusters such as Wonder Woman, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Suicide Squad the studio wants to bring more stories and more comic book characters to the big screen. Warner Bros. is reportedly working on an origin story for The Joker with a concept far different from that we’ve seen with Jared Leto’s version of the villain.

Last week it was reported that Warner Bros. is developing a movie about the origin story of prominent Batman nemesis The Joker. After the character’s debut in Suicide Squad, a solo movie for The Joker always appeared to be on the cards. What surprised many, however, was the fact that Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese has been listed as one of the film’s producers and that Jared Leto may not have any part in it, according to the Hollywood Reporter,

A source claimed that Scorsese’s involvement in the film brings Warner Bros. closer to luring Leonardo DiCaprio into the world of superhero movie franchises. Scorsese and DiCaprio are frequent collaborators and good friends, having previously worked together on critically-acclaimed films such as Shutter Island,The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Aviator.

With Scorsese’s participation, partnered with The Hangover filmmaker Todd Phillips who’s set to direct, the studio aims to diversify the comic book genre and make notable films within the same caliber as Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight movies.

Although no formal offer has been made to Leonardo DiCaprio yet, many have begun to question Leto’s future as The Joker. The 30 Seconds To Mars frontman was reportedly taken aback by the studio’s plans to create a The Joker origin movie that didn’t involve him. He was allegedly displeased with the idea of having multiple actors play the character at once.

According to Deadline, Phillips is working on the script with Scott Silver. The Joker origin movie is expected to be the first spin-off title in the DCEU as Warner Bros. goes deeper into the DC Comics catalog and shed more light on its most iconic characters.

Deadline’s Mike Fleming Jr. wrote that the film will be different in tone and setting compared to previous DCEU movies. Moreover, it is said to be focus on a much younger Joker.

“The intention is to make a gritty and grounded hard-boiled crime film set in early-’80s Gotham City that isn’t meant to feel like a DC movie as much as one of Scorsese’s films from that era, like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or The King Of Comedy.”

Although Jared Leto doesn’t appear to be involved in Scorsese’s The Joker film, he will reprise the role in two more films–Suicide Squad 2 and the still-unnamed Harley Quinn and The Joker movie, which an insider described as “an insane and twisted love story. When Harry Met Sally on Benzedrine,” Independent reported.

Prior to Leto, The Joker was portrayed by Jack Nicholson in 1989’s Batman and the late Heath Ledger in 2008’s The Dark Knight.

[Featured Image by Mike Windle/Getty Images]