Acclaimed actor Leonardo DiCaprio becomes a wide variety of Marvel and DC heroes in realistic art, despite not having joined a superhero franchise.

Despite never having joined a superhero franchise, acclaimed actor Leonardo DiCaprio has been imagined as a wide variety of legendary MCU and DC Universe superheroes in new fan art. After having recurring roles in various television shows in the early 1990s, Leonardo DiCaprio achieved international acclaim for his performances in 1993’s This Boy’s Life, 1993’s What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, 1996’s Romeo + Juliet and 1997’s Titanic. Since then, DiCaprio has become one of the most-celebrated actors of all time, having earned a huge number of accolades, including seven Academy Award nominations, of which he won one for 2015’s The Revenant.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s huge success has made him a popular fan-cast for many roles in Marvel and DC’s live-action superhero franchises. AI-generated fan art shared by Esheffects depicts DiCaprio as ten different characters in the MCU and DC Universe, bringing to life several possibilities for the actor’s potentially heroic future.

Esheffects imagines Leonardo DiCaprio as DC’s Batman, Green Arrow, Deathstroke and Green Lantern, as well as Marvel’s Iron Man, Human Torch, Spider-Man, Captain America, Winter Soldier and Doctor Strange. This realistic art, as well as DiCaprio’s varied and lengthy experience, proves that he’d be a perfect fit for a superhero franchise.

What Leonardo DiCaprio Has Said About Joining A Superhero Franchise

Despite being one of the most recognizable faces and coveted stars in Hollywood, Leonardo DiCaprio is yet to assume a role in a superhero franchise. However, he has been approached several times over the years, particularly with the prospect of joining DC projects. During a 2015 interview with ShortList, Leonardo DiCaprio confirmed he met with director Joel Schumacher in the 1990s, who wanted the young star to portray Robin in 1995’s Batman Forever. DiCaprio ultimately didn’t want the role, and it went instead to Chris O’Donnell, though given the project’s mixed response, this was perhaps a saving grace for DiCaprio.

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. Er, I don’t think I did [want the role], no. 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.

Leonardo DiCaprio was later considered by James Cameron for his 1990s Spider-Man adaptation, and by Sam Raimi for 2002’s Spider-Man, though the titular role would ultimately go to DiCaprio’s The Great Gatsby co-star, Tobey Maguire. During his ShortList interview, DiCaprio stated that he simply “didn’t feel ready to put on that suit,” suggesting that the door may be open for him to take on a future superhero role. Additionally, during the development of Todd Phillips’ 2019 smash-hit, Joker, Warner Bros. pushed for Leonardo DiCaprio to be cast as Arthur Fleck’s Joker, but Phillips only considered Joaquin Phoenix for the role.

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. You never know. You never know. They’re getting better and better as far as complex characters in these movies. I haven’t [taken a superhero role] yet. But no, I don’t rule out anything.

More recently, during a February 2024 interview with The New York Times promoting Dune: Part Two, Timothée Chalamet revealed that Leonardo DiCaprio had gifted him advice concerning roles in superhero franchises. Chalamet noted that DiCaprio had stressed, “no superhero movies, no hard drugs,” and while Chalamet himself hasn’t shut out the possibility of potentially becoming a superhero, this seems to suggest that Leonardo DiCaprio may have. Involving Leonardo DiCaprio would practically guarantee the success of any superhero project he may find himself in, but whether he wants to assume a role in the MCU or DC Universe is another question.