Leonardo DiCaprio Could Have Been Spider-Man, Anakin, and Robin

leonardo_dicaprio_anakin.jpgTitanic may have made Leonardo DiCaprio one of the most famous movie stars alive, but believe it or not, he could have been even bigger. In a new interview, DiCaprio reveals a raft of super-iconic parts he was offered but passed on, and they're doozies.

The Inception actor was grilled by UK website ShortList, and admitted that he had his pick of parts in Batman Forever, Spider-Man, and Star Wars, but could never quite pull the trigger:

There's a rumour you screen-tested for [Robin in Batman Forever]...

I never screen-tested. I had a meeting with Joel Schumacher. It was just one meeting and, no, I didn't end up doing it.

Did you actually want the role?

Er, I don't think I did, no [laughs]. As I recall I took the meeting, but didn't want to play the role. Joel Schumacher is a very talented director but I don't think I was ready for anything like that.

Do you feel like you dodged a bullet?

[Laughs.]

Were you in talks to play Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels?

I did have a meeting with George Lucas about that as well, yes.

What happened?

Same scenario [laughs].

He wanted you, but you didn't fancy it?

Um, right. Exactly.

Why?

Again, just didn't feel ready to take that dive. At that point.

How close did you come to playing Spider-Man before your friend Tobey Maguire took the part?

Er, that was another one of those situations, similar to Robin, where I didn't feel ready to put on that suit yet. They got in touch with me.

Would you like to play a superhero?

You never know. You never know. They're getting better and better as far as complex characters in these movies. I haven't yet. But no, I don't rule out anything.

Sorry Leo, but you've missed your chance: at 35, you're officially at the age where superheroes get rebooted for younger versions. (Still, unless you're John Malkovich in the aborted Spider-Man 4, you're never too old to play a villain.)

· The Leo DiCaprio interview [ShortList]



Comments

  • CiscoMan says:

    Not a superhero, but I believe he was offered Dirk Diggler, too.
    No wait, is Dirk Diggler a superhero?

  • Shap says:

    Considering that the guy is very talented actor, he probably would have looked even more ridiculous than Hayden Christensen trying to make sense of the dialogue in the prequels. Maybe he read a draft of Attack of the Clones, and that's why he never met with Lucas a second time.
    As for Batman and Spiderman, I wouldn't want to play a superhero either if I could play any part out there and money wasn't an issue. Even in the best superhero movies, donning a comic book hero costume must be a little degrading for anyone who is a respected actor.
    As far as his reported next project, donning a Viking outfit for a period action movie with Mel Gibson, sounds even more embarrassing. Although not so much b/c of the Viking costume.

  • The Warden says:

    Leo Decapitated was very smart to pass on those roles, especially the Star Whores movie. Lucas is a great businessman but a horrible screen writer and director but because he has a built in fanboi base, most of what he does will make money.

  • stolidog says:

    Don't forget Clooney played batman, with rubber nipples.

  • Jo Dean says:

    Wow, that dude is just WAY too full of himself.
    Lou
    http://www.real-anonymity.net.tc

  • Brian says:

    He could still be a superhero, if Downey Jr passes on Iron Man IV.

  • Sebastian says:

    That's so sad...he feels embarrassed. Good for him for listening to his heart.