Leonardo DiCaprio is set to play Rasputin, a key figure in Russian history in an upcoming movie.
The actor, who was recently in theatres with 3D film 'Great Gatsby', will star as the Russian mystic who became an advisor to the Russian Imperial family-the Romanovs in the Warner Bros movie. The pitch is by Jason Hall, the Deadline reported.
Embraced by Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra as a healer for their only son, Tsarevich Alexei, who secretly suffered from hemophilia, Rasputin's influence with the family in all matters grew to the point that rivals tried several times to kill him, finally succeeding in 1916.
The film will be produced by Langley Park's Kevin McCormick, by DiCaprio's Appian Way partner Jennifer Davisson Killoran and Peter Morgan, who's a producer on the Hall-scripted adaptation of 'American Sniper'.
Rasputin and the controversial role that he played in the Russian court has been a subject of many movies but there were new elements here unearthed by Hall that sparked DiCaprio's interest.
