Fresh off his promotional efforts for The Great Gatsby, Leonardo Dicaprio is on the way to taking another character part – this time as the Russian mystic Rasputin in the eponymous project, currently in development by Warner Bros. The project was pitched by Jason Hall, the writer behind such films as American Sniper, Deadline has learned exclusively.

It will tell the story of the man whose machinations earned him a place as a medic and then an advisor to the royal family of the Romanovs in Russia during the early 20th century. We know from recent experience that Leo is good at character acting, but, judging from his recent projects, he is still chasing that elusive Oscar. More importantly though, audiences will not only get to experience another piece of history onscreen, but also get to see DiCaprio in quite an impressive beard – an opportunity, which is not to be missed.

The project is apparently part of a long term commitment between Hall and WB, with the scribe having previously worked with the studio on American Sniper and now this project, which was, until recently unnamed, but was known to be in the works for a while. The Rasputin flick will be produced by Kevin McKormick, who will also be taking on American Sniper – it seems pretty clear at this point that we’re witnessing the advent of a powerhouse production team over at Warner.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Cannes Film Festival
Fresh off Gatsby, Leonardo might soon be diving into a brand new project.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Great Gatsby Photocall
The actor will be switching up the snappy suits for a beard and black robe.