Leonardo DiCaprio Turned Down Chance to Play Anakin, Robin & Spider-Man

Leonardo DiCaprio as Anakin Skywalker? How about: Leonardo DiCaprio as Robin? Or Spider-Man? According to a new interview with ShortList magazine, all of these were at one point a possibility for the actor, who ultimately ended up taking on other projects. In the interview, he explains why he turned down such iconic roles.

When asked if he was ever approached about playing Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels, DiCaprio replies, "I did have a meeting with George Lucas, yes." When asked why he didn't take the role, DiCaprio says it was the "same scenario" as the role of Robin in Batman Forever, when he met with director Joel Schumacher but ultimately turned down the role.

Why would he turn down two big roles such as those? "[I] just didn't feel ready to take that dive. At that point," he says.

This same scenario of meeting with directors and turning down a big role happened once more with the Spider-Man series, with the part ultimately going to Tobey Maguire.

When asked how close he got to that particular part, DiCaprio explains, "That was another one of those situations, similar to Robin, where I didn't feel ready to put on that suit yet. They got in touch with me."

He may not have been too keen to play a superhero in the past, but would the actor consider it in the future? He thinks he would, saying, "You never know. You never know. They're getting better and better as far as complex characters in these movies. I haven't yet, but no, I don't rule out anything."

DiCaprio has a penchant for choosing those "complex characters," as the actor has been nominated five times for an Academy Award in an acting category. He is well on his way to being nominated for a sixth time for his role in The Revenant, which opens to a wide release Jan. 8.