Leonardo DiCaprio is in early talks to star in the forthcoming thriller, Body Of Lies, which will be directed by Sir Ridley Scott. Given both men’s propensity for long-running professional relationships – little Leo with even littler Marty Scorsese, and Ridders with Russell Crowe – this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
But let’s get Body Of Lies out of the way first, before we start predicting a glorious future collaboration. A political, post 9/11 nailbiter, it’s based on the upcoming novel from David Ignatius, about an ex-journalist who becomes a CIA agent (happens all the time – Empire saves the free world more than you’ll ever know… and you’ll never have to thank us). He’s then sent to Amman where, with the help of Jordan’s security chief, he tries to track down an Al-Qaeda leader who may be planning a terror attack on America.
If Leo signs on – and he has Revolutionary Road, the Sam Mendes-directed reunion picture with Kate Winslet to finish first – you can see why the script may appeal, as it seems like a cross between Blood Diamond’s political thriller with a conscience, and The Departed’s hard-edged undercover agent plotline. And with Scott on board – he’s already scouting locations despite the fact that he’s still working on his next movie, American Gangster – it’s bound to look great.
The script is being written by William Monahan, who represents a nice link between the two men, having written Kingdom Of Heaven for Ridders, and of course little Leo's hard-boiled dialogue in The Departed. Warner Bros. will front up the cash.