Performing in film and television for more than 30 years, Leonardo DiCaprio has endeared himself to audiences everywhere with his award-winning performances in The Revenant (2015), The Aviator (2004), and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). Participating in dramas, comedies, and crime films, DiCaprio has yet to step foot into the superhero genre, with his closest performance being in the action film Inception (2010).
Here we will look at the roles that have become readily available in the DC Universe (DCU) now that James Gunn has begun rebooting the franchise. Looking into the various superheroes, antiheroes, and villains that DiCaprio would be most suited to play, we'll be providing insight into the backgrounds of each character as well as reasons for DiCaprio would be able to play them well.
10 Steve Trevor
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First on the list would be Wonder Woman's primary love interest, Steve Trevor. While many would point to Chris Pine's iteration of the soldier as challenging to beat, we're not envisioning DiCaprio taking on the character when he's in his younger days of active duty. Instead, we're looking to the future where Steve Trevor has earned the title of "Master Chief" and is a seasoned veteran, hardened by years of warfare.
DiCaprio has repeatedly proven that he can play a man of steely determination. And with the inclusion of Wonder Woman in Steve Trevor's life, there would still be plenty of possibilities for the star to reveal the vulnerable cracks underneath the cold demeanor of the Master Chief.
9 Mr. Miracle
Throughout DiCapario's career, many have marveled at the stunts he was willing to pull off to prove himself worthy of finally earning his Academy Award. New God, Scott Free, has earned the moniker of Mr. Miracle after learning how to escape the most impossible of odds after being forced to grow up on Apokolips.
Being locked away by Darkseid as punishment for being the son of his greatest enemy, Scott Free works daily to escape the constantly improving prisons he would be placed in before finally gaining access to a Mother Box and running from the entire planet. His skills would prove so impressive that even Batman would seek him out as a teacher. And the humble personality of Scott Free would capture the heart of one of the most brutal Furies in Big Barda.
8 Alan Scott
At the age of 48, DiCaprio may get disqualified from playing leading roles due to the studio's desire to keep the heroes younger for their target demographics. But there is still a Golden Age of heroism that can be adapted, and there we find Alan Scott, the first man to take the name of Green Lantern.
Alan Scott would discover a green lantern (yes, an actual lantern that was colored green) and use the magical properties imbued in the flame to become a superhero. While some believe this Lantern is where the weakness of the color yellow comes from, in actuality, this Lantern couldn't affect anything made of wood due to the lantern's metallic properties. Alan Scott would initially be known as the Green Lantern of Earth-2 before a Crisis merged his world with the primary Earth, giving him reason to seek retirement while the next generation stepped up.
7 Hawkman
While we're on the topic of the Golden Age, one of the mainstays from the Justice Society of America (seen most recently in Black Adam (2022)), there are different backstories to the origins of Hawkman. One of the most popular is that Katar and Chay-Ara Hol are ancient beings trapped in an endless cycle of reincarnation, leading to the modern-day Hawkman being Carter Hall, an archaeologist. Using the Nth Metal imbued within his wings and mace, Hawkman helps dispense justice, never fearing death.
While Hawkman is generally known as one of the more savage superheroes, DiCaprio may be able to give a bit more personality to the brute, helping him stand out amongst his compatriots in the JSA.
6 Floronic Man
Another character with various origin stories, Jason Woodrue, is known as the plant-like monster, the Floronic Man. The similarities in the stories lead one to believe that Woodrue's transformation came about because of Woodrue's selfishness and desire to alter the course of humanity, either for good or bad intentions. At one point, Woodrue gains enough power to begin killing all humans and animals, only to be stopped when he realizes his actions would also kill all plant life, starving them of carbon dioxide.
DiCaprio could bring more of a maniacal feel to this scientist but also add enough charisma to keep the audience's attention, similar to when he played "Monsieur" Calvin J. Candie in Django Unchained (2012). Witnessing this plant-human hybrid effusing the reasoning behind his eco-terrorist acts with the bravado of DiCaprio would make for an essential villain in any DCU film.
5 Maxwell Lord
While no one will deny Pedro Pascal's talents, the team behind Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) didn't give him a faithful adaptation of the character, instead opting for political satire as well as a father-son story arc that redeems the character. The source material's Maxwell Lord is a deplorable human being, having had his powers of manipulation since birth.
DiCaprio is no stranger to being a fast-talking con man, playing Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). Seeing DiCaprio use his natural charisma to cause people to turn on their friends and loved ones would make for a truly terrifying version of the character.
4 Lex Luthor
And while we're on the topic of charismatic, manipulative, and devious characters, there may be no more significant threat to the DCU than Lex Luthor. Jesse Eisenberg's depiction of the character left much to be desired, focusing on turning Lex into an obsessive egomaniac. While these certainly are traits belonging to Lex, they are not the sole makeup of the character. DiCaprio can lean hard into the smug look that Lex would give and make every deception the character employs feel even more biting, as the heroes know he's lying but have no way of proving it.
3 Psycho-Pirate
That's not to say that DiCaprio cannot play a madman, either. However, DiCaprio's range would be put to the ultimate test by taking on the role of Psycho-Pirate. Using the power of the Medusa Mask, Roger Hayden uses his mastery of emotions to project emotions onto other people.
This power is one of the most terrifying as he has proven capable of making Gotham (a Superman-level meta) go berserk with fear and breaking his sister, Gotham Girl's mind. The limit of this power is on Hayden's mental limits, as he has shown that he can maintain control over a building full of hundreds of people, though at great personal strain.
2 Clayface
Warner Bros. Animation
Basil Karlo is a man who only wanted to ensure his acting career was all that he wanted it to be. After suffering a horrible accident that disfigured his face, Karlo would go to great lengths to prove he could still perform. Using recalled face putty, Karlo would slowly go insane as he gained the ability to shape-shift into any person or construct he wished.
The struggle to make one's acting career stand out with a crucial achievement mirrors DiCaprio's journey toward earning an Academy Award, which would be a great reason to cast him in the role of Basil Karlo. Having a strong understanding of the psyche behind the villain, DiCaprio would make for a compelling take on the villain, especially with fans clamoring for Clayface to be one of the villains featured in The Batman - Part II (2025).
1 Animal Man
But speaking to a heroic actor that helps provide plenty of comedic relief throughout the pages of DC Comics, the final entry on our list is Buddy Baker, aka Animal Man. After a chance encounter with an alien spacecraft, Buddy Baker would gain the ability to access the Red and mimic the abilities of any animal, be it flight, strength, or speed. This would be a role that would allow DiCaprio to lean into his comedic chops and would allow for plenty of improvisation. From Buddy's one-liners to the feel-good moments provided by the Baker family, this film will prove to be a memorable one.
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