Leonardo DiCaprio’s Viking ambitions might have been thwarted the last time he tried to score a role – in a film that Mel Gibson was developing – but he’s clearly intent on pillaging and raiding in something. Now Warner Bros. and DiCaprio's Appian Way production company have bought Mark L. Smith’s script pitch King Harald to develop as a potential Leo-starring role.
The script would chronicle the life of Harald Hardrada, the 11th century conqueror hailed by some historians as the last great Viking king. Harald’s story is a compelling one: he was the ruler of Norway for 20 years, but his unstoppable quest for power and love of battle led to his exile in Russia. He eventually returned in triumph, which fits perfectly into a nice 3-act cinematic structure.
DiCaprio, who played Jay Gatsby this year, will next be seen in Martin Scorsese’s latest, The Wolf Of Wall Street, due here on January 17. He’s even busier as a producer, with Appian Way a partner on Runner Runner, Out Of The Furnace and Ben Affleck’s next planned directorial gig, Live By Night.