Director Ed Zwick ("Glory") and his frequent writing partner, Marshall Herskovitz, will bring "The Blood Diamond" to the big screen, and they’re hoping to rope Leonardo DiCaprio ("The Beach") for the leading role. Variety describes the plot as "set in Sierra Leone circa 1999, a time when the nation was in the midst of a horrific civil war. DiCaprio would play the role of a smuggler who specializes in the sale of "blood diamonds," also known as "conflict diamonds" — the precious stones used to finance rebellions, privateers and terrorists."
"When the smuggler encounters an indigenous Mende farmer whose young son has disappeared into the RUF’s army of child soldiers, the two men’s fates become linked."
Mr. Zwick hopes to get the WB project underway later this year, just as soon as Leo’s done working on Martin Scorsese‘s "The Departed."
