James Dean biopic was scrapped after director thought Leonardo DiCaprio was ‘too young’

Michael Mann has spoken about scrapping a “brilliant screenplay” for a James Dean biopic he was set to direct.

Ahead of the award-winning director’s 1995 film Heat, he had planned on making a movie about the late actor, who died in a 1955 car accident at age 24.

Dean starred in three films before his early death: Rebel Without a Cause (1955), East Of Eden (1955), and Giant (1956). He died before production on the latter was completed, however, he posthumously earned an Academy Award.

Mann explained to Deadline in a new interview that the initial challenge was finding “who the hell could play James Dean”.

“And I found a chap who could play James Dean, but he was too young,” he said. “It was Leo.”

“We did a screen test that’s quite amazing. I think he must’ve been 19 at the time. And from one angle, he totally had it with him. I mean, it’s brilliance,” Mann praised.

“He would turn his face in one direction and we see a vision of James Dean, and then he’d turn his face another direction and it’s no, that’s a young kid.”

DiCaprio’s breakthrough movie roles included 1993’s What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet in 1996 and 1997’s Titanic, alongside Kate Winslet.

The now 47-year-old actor features in Martin Scorsese’s forthcoming crime drama, Killers Of the Flower Moon, set for release in May 2023.

Meanwhile, Mann is currently planning on adapting his recently released book Heat 2 – a sequel to his 1995 classic – into a “large ambitious movie”.