Leonardo DiCaprio has his eyes set on playing one of history’s most dangerously charismatic men.
E! News can confirm that the 46-year-old Oscar winner is in final negotiations to play Jim Jones—the infamous cult leader who orchestrated a mass-suicide at his Jonestown settlement on November 18, 1978—in an upcoming movie with MGM. The incident, which saw more than 900 people die after drinking grape-flavored punch laced with cyanide, is considered the biggest instance of American civilian deaths not caused by a natural disaster until the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In addition to starring in the biopic, currently titled Jim Jones, DiCaprio will serve as a producer alongside Jennifer Davisson, the president of production at his Appian Way company, according to Deadline, who was first to report the news.
The outlet reports that the feature film’s script was penned screenwriter Scott Rosenberg, whose work includes High Fidelity, Gone in 60 Seconds, Venom and the two latest Jumanji sequels. Rosenberg will also reportedly executive produce the project.
