After “WeCrashed” and the abysmal “Morbius,” what does Jared Leto have next on the horizon? Well, some voice acting in next year’s Disney film “Haunted Mansion” answers that question, but what about his next on-screen role? Deadline has the answer: Leto will star as fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld in an upcoming biopic.
Leto co-produces with Emma Ludbrook through Paradox, their production company, and Lagerfeld’s House Of Karl Lagerfeld. And three of the late designer’s most trusted confidants will help executive produce the film: Pier Paolo Righi, Caroline Lebar, and Sébastien Jondeau. So, what’s their affiliation with Lagerfeld? Righi served as Lagerfeld CEO for over 10 years, Lebar was a close advisor for the icon, and Jondeau spent 20 years as Lagerfeld’s personal assistant and bodyguard. Not a bad crop of people to help fund a movie about the man.
Leto also knew Lagerfeld well before he died, so he jumped at an opportunity to make a dramatic film about him. “Karl has always been an inspiration to me,” Leto said in a press statement. “He was a true polymath, an artist, an innovator, a leader and, most importantly, a kind man. When we came together with the Karl Lagerfeld team, we immediately shared a creative vision of doing a respectful ode to Karl while pushing the artistic boundaries of what a biopic can be. I’m so grateful to Karo, Pier and Seb for allowing us to go on this journey together.”
Righi, still the CEO of Lagerfeld, followed up Leto’s statements. “Over the years, we have been approached by several Hollywood producers who suggested to partner on a movie about Karl’s iconic life,” he said. “It has been only since we met Jared and Emma that we felt truly confident about the story being told in the artistic way Karl would have loved to see. Throughout our conversations, we have created an equally trustful and inspiring creative relationship that will allow us to work together very fluidly on this beautiful project.”
One of the most famous fashion designers of the 20th century, Lagerfeld died in February 2019. His influence still exudes the industry after his death. Vogue CCO Anna Wintor announced that next year’s Met Gala Costume Institute Exhibition theme will be Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty, dedicated to the designer’s six-decade career. As for who will direct the upcoming biopic, the film’s producers are in talks with various filmmakers. Plot details for the movie are unknown, but expect an unconventional take on Lagerfeld’s life.