Leonardo DiCaprio to Play Cult Leader Jim Jones in MGM Film
From politicians (J. Edgar Hoover in J. Edgar) and criminal forgers (Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me if You Can) to legendary moguls (Howard Hughes in The Aviator) and corrupt stockbrokers (Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street), to name a few, Leonardo DiCaprio has played a number of real-life figures throughout his Oscar-winning career.
The Media has verified that the 46-year-old is in final talks to replace infamous cult leader Jim Jones on the big screen. The project was picked up by MGM in a pre-emptive deal and finds DiCaprio producing alongside Jennifer Davisson through their Appian Way banner. Written by Scott Rosenberg (Venom, the Jumanji franchise, and the upcoming Citadel), the project was written by Scott Rosenberg (Venom, the Jumanji franchise, and the upcoming Citadel). Rosenberg will be listed as an executive producer.
Jones, as the leader of the Peoples Temple, was responsible for one of the greatest mass deaths in history when he staged a collective suicide in Jonestown, Guyana, on Nov. 18, 1978, that claimed the lives of 909 people. Jones’ followers praised him for his magnetism and purported faith-healing talents, but he was also mocked for being paranoid and apparently abusing some of his followers. His narrative has inspired numerous books, documentaries, and television specials, the most recent of which being Truth and Lies: Jonestown, Paradise Lost, a 2018 documentary released on the 40th anniversary of the catastrophe. The documentary is now available to watch on Hulu.
DiCaprio next appears in Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up for Netflix, with Jennifer Lawrence and a cast of A-listers, and he recently wrapped a role in Killers of the Flower Moon for Apple TV+, in which he reunites with longtime colleague Martin Scorsese.