What’s next for Adrien Brody after another Oscar Best Actor win for “The Brutalist“? THR reports it could be starring opposite Leonard DiCaprio in Damien Chazelle‘s upcoming movie about famous stuntman daredevil Evel Knievel.
READ MORE: Leonardo DiCaprio Rumored To Star In Evel Knievel Film For Damien Chazelle
Paramount still needs to come to terms with DiCaprio for him to star in the biopic, but that doesn’t mean Chazelle can’t scope out players for other roles. And the director apparently has his eyes on Adrien Brody for a particular part: Shelly Saltman, an author and sports promoter who Knievel attacked with an aluminum bat. There’s no deal in place for Brody yet (nothing moves on this project until DiCaprio signs on), but it’d be another high-profile role for an actor on the cusp of a career resurgence.
News about Chazelle’s next film at Paramount broke last April, but it wasn’t until last December that rumors began to swirl that it was an Evel Knievel biopic or that DiCaprio was in talks to star. Chazelle’s follow-up to 2022’s divisive opus “Babylon” sees Williams Mohanan on board to pen the script. That’s good news for Leo fans, as Monahan penned “The Departed,” one of DiCaprio’s most acclaimed roles.
If DiCaprio signs onto Chazelle’s film, expect it to shoot this summer. And expect it to be a stunt-laden spectacle, as Knievel’s motorcycle exploits, including jumping over cars and canyons, and outrageous outfits made him an icon of 1970s pop culture. But Knievel’s fall from grace may be more arresting than his stuntwork. Knievel went to jail after his real-life attack on Saltman, lost his endorsements, and eventually declared bankruptcy, never returning to his former glory.
It’s a juicy role for Leo to take on, but the actor has been increasingly selective about projects in recent years. He’s made just four films since 2019, including Paul Thomas Anderson‘s upcoming “One Battle After Another,” in theaters on August 8. But as of now, DiCaprio’s queue is wide open, although he’s attached to several projects that may or may not happen, like the Hawaiian crime movie he might make with Martin Scorsese, Dwayne Johnson, and Emily Blunt.
So, let’s see what happens with Chazelle’s Evel Knievel biopic. If both DiCaprio and two-time Oscar-winner Adrien Brody sign on, that’s a formidable onscreen duo bound to get awards consideration in a couple of years.
