February 20, 2003 - IGN FilmForce learned earlier this week that the dream choice to portray the title of role Tony Stark in Iron Man is none other than... Leonardo DiCaprio. We held off on reporting this because, by all accounts, the young Oscar-nominee has NOT been offered the role... yet. He is simply at the top of the filmmakers' wish list, according to our sources. Marvel Entertainment honcho Avi Arad almost revealed as much to today so that's why IGN FilmForce has decided to go ahead and report what we know.

So what is it about Leo that makes the powers-that-be think he is The Armored Avenger? Unlike or , it's not about who looks good in the suit since you'll never see Iron Man's face anyway. What matters is who portrays Tony Stark, the dashing yet vulnerable billionaire industrialist who becomes Iron Man. Whomever plays this role must be believable as a playboy, an astute businessman and someone whose (physical and mental) health is off enough to warrant putting on a suit of armor to fight crime.

With Leo poised to portray the eccentric billionaire industrialist Howard Hughes in , he should be able to easily slip into the character of Tony Stark... once the script is written and the role is offered to him.

Iron Man is in development at New Line Cinema for a 2005 release. Smallville's will write the screenplay with Angry Films producing. No director has been hired yet.

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