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Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio appears to be dedicating the next chapter of his career to projects with longtime collaborator Martin Scorsese. The duo has already created six feature films together: “Gangs of New York,” “The Aviator,” “The Departed,” “Shutter Island,” “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
This commitment seems to be affecting DiCaprio’s availability for other high-profile projects. Earlier this week, reports emerged that “Whiplash” and “La La Land” director Damien Chazelle is moving forward with a prison-themed film starring Cillian Murphy and Daniel Craig.
Chazelle had previously been developing an Evel Knievel biopic with DiCaprio in mind for the lead role. However, negotiations fell through – fueling speculation that Leo is intentionally keeping his schedule open for several upcoming Scorsese collaborations.
DiCaprio’s apparent unavailability speaks volumes.
“While unconfirmed, insiders say the film will be set in a prison. If deals end up closing for the two stars, production is expected to start later this year. Chazelle had been weighing several projects in recent months including an Evel Knievel pic with Leonardo DiCaprio circling the lead role. With the studio unable to make a deal for DiCaprio, Chazelle circled back to the prison drama as his next film.” [via Deadline]
Multiple Scorsese-DiCaprio Projects in Development
Scorsese currently has several films in various stages of development, and DiCaprio has been linked to virtually all of them. A few years back, they were reportedly working on adapting “The Wager” – another work by “Killers of the Flower Moon” author David Grann – though this project seems to have been temporarily shelved.
After nearly a decade in development limbo, the pair has renewed interest in “The Devil in the White City,” based on Erik Larson’s bestseller. This project has experienced numerous false starts over the years but appears to be gaining momentum once again.
They’re also developing a Frank Sinatra biopic – a subject Scorsese has long been passionate about – and a Hawaii-set crime epic reminiscent of “The Departed.” This latter project would also star Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. Johnson has publicly discussed the film, suggesting it might be the closest to entering production.
DiCaprio fans won’t have to wait too long to see him on screen, though. He’ll next appear in “One Battle After Another,” releasing September 26. The film marks his first collaboration with acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson, known for “Boogie Nights” and “There Will Be Blood” – a pairing that’s generating significant awards buzz despite being in a completely diffrerent different creative partnership than his Scorsese collaborations.
