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According to Nikki Finke, Leto met with Julius Onah, the film’s director, earlier this week but balked at the chance to star in the project, which would have seen him star as Nick Cooper, a federal agent with special abilities who lives in a world where a small percentage of the population — called Brilliants — have such gifts. The story revolves around Cooper on the hunt another Brilliant, a terrorist bent on creating mass hysteria and starting a civil war.
Had he taken the role — which Will Smith rejected earlier this week — it would have been Leto’s first major starring role since winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club, which was in turn his first film in 5 years.
The film is an adaptation of a Marcus Sakey novel, adapted by Jurassic Park and Spider-Man‘s David Koepp. Noomi Rapace is attached for the female lead.
Leto has been rumored in recent weeks to be at the top of Marvel’s wish list to play the lead in Doctor Strange.
