You know what the good, movie-going people of this world are clamoring for Hollywood to give us? A biopic of 18thU.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. And who better to team up on such a project thanSteven SpielbergandLeonardo DiCaprio? TheCatch Me If You Candirector/actor team could reunite for the biopic that’s being produced by DiCaprio and his Appian Way partnerJennifer Davissonfor Lionsgate, but it’s still early days for that discussion, asDeadlinereports.
Their write-up has three-time Oscar-winner Spielberg directing Oscar-winner DiCaprio in the presidential role forGrant, if the movie keeps the inspired title from the best-selling bio book fromRon Chernow. Appian Way and Lionsgate are keeping the adaptation in the family sinceDavid James Kelly, who scriptedOtto Bathurst’sRobin Hoodpicture for them, will adapt the biography for the screen. We’ll stress again that theGrantteam-up is still in early discussions since both award-winning filmmakers' schedules will likely be difficult to reconcile.
Spielberg has the newIndiana JonesandWest Side Storyslated for his next two films, following up on this year’s popcorn flickReady Player One. DiCaprio, now hopefully well and truly recovered fromThe Revenant, is getting back into theQuentin Tarantinogame withOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood. Keeping it Presidential, however, Spielberg is apparently mulling a spiritual follow-up to his 2012 biopicLincoln, while DiCaprio is also set to star in the title role of theMartin Scorsese-directedTeddy Rooseveltpicture set up through Appian Way and Paramount. These two have alotgoing on outside ofGrant, but the picture in question is now being reported as a priority project thanks in part to Chernow’s Pulitzer Prize-winning status and “Hamilton!” claim to fame, having written the biography that served as source material forLin-Manuel Miranda’s hit musical.
For Spielberg,Grantcould offer the opportunity to reframe the U.S. Civil War. WhereLincolnallowed him to explore the country’s conflict from the highest office in the land,Grantcould give Spielberg a more “boots on the ground” military approach. And since Grant, despite his personal troubles, become a trusted general of President Lincoln, maybe he could even pullDaniel Day-Lewisout of retirement (again) for a cameo or more substantial role. Grant crossed paths with other notable names from history of course, crossing strategic sabres withRobert E. Lee, stamping out the Ku Klux Klan, and collaborating withMark Twainthroughout his life. There’s a lot to work with here, and in Chernow’s book, so we’ll have to wait and see if the material proves juicy enough to lure both Spielberg and DiCaprio back to the 19th century.
