del Toro wants Bradley Cooper as Leonardo DiCaprio's replacement

Bradley Cooper is being eyed as Leonardo DiCaprio's replacement in "Nightmare Alley".

17 Jun – "A Star is Born" director and main actor Bradley Cooper has another leading role coming his way and it's thanks to Leonardo DiCaprio, who has decided to pass on it.

Variety reported that Cooper is in early talks to star in Guillermo del Toro and Fox Searchlight's new project, "Nightmare Alley".

If he closes the deal, he will take over the starring role vacated by DiCaprio, who was reported back in April to star in the movie but has now decided to pass on it since a deal couldn't be reached.

Leonardo DiCaprio has decided not to star in Guillermo del Toro's "Nightmare Alley" (Photo source: Gregg Deguire/WireImage; Barry King/Getty Images).

Cooper's role will be that of a con-man who gets out-manipulated by the female psychiatrist with an even more corrupt morality that he's teamed up with.

There was a Tyrone Power-starring 1947 version of the movie from Fox, also based on William Lindsay Gresham's 1946 novel of the same name, but this del Toro-helmed version will be based more on the novel than the previous movie.

Aside from directing, del Toro also co-wrote the screenplay with Kim Morgan and is producing the movie, which is financed by him and J. Miles Dale with TSG Entertainment.