Either Marvel or DC - though arguably Marvel given their comparable track record - in what roles would he be well-cast? Serious actors have certainly turned in credible performances thus far. Leo wants in.
If you make yours Marvel, assume he wants to ultimately tie into the Avengers franchise in some future sequel. Any DC franchise team up is inarguably up in the air as of 2012, but have at it.
So let’s say you’re his agent or trusted compañero who could convince him to play one way or another. Discuss.
He’d be swell as Nexus (which isn’t Marvel/DC, but is pretty mainstream nonetheless). The Marvel character I see him as, The Hood, isn’t a hero but did have his own series.
I think we really need a Green Arrow movie. Not the cheesy arrow-punch Green Arrow, but the social justice Arrow prepared to give Superman a talking-to about right and wrong. The Smallville series probably paved the way with enough name-recognition. DiCaprio could really make the character his own, too.
About the only male Marvel characters left who are big enough for a new movie are Quicksilver and Hank Pym. Neither have enough profile or enough depth for DiCaprio.
The only superhero I could see DiCaprio playing is one not from either DC or Marvel, but from Watchmen. He would have made a fine Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias.
I was thinking Namor the Submariner. I could see Namor being an Act I adversary turned anti-hero ally in an Avengers flick. Supposedly, the rights to Namor aren’t necessarily tied to the Fantastic Four franchise, which Fox has – though some check writing would be required, I think.
I don’t think DiCaprio could get in shape enough for the amount of time that Namor spends without a shirt on, and I don’t think he’d be up for Iron Fist. Maybe Dr. Strange. I really like the Green Arrow idea - if you stick with the WB version that does a lot of sulking around in dark boardrooms. He’d have been a fantastic Ozymandius as well.
Ignoring the atrocity of the Samuel Jackson version, what about The Spirit?
He’s got the look for Dr. Strange, as everyone has noted. If Robert Downey Jr. retires, I could see Leo doing a more serious Tony Stark. Or Loki or Victor von Doom. More fun to play the villain.
