DiCaprio, dissed by mayor, will produce Enron movie

Via HouStoned, we see that everyone's favorite corporate scandal may be coming to the big screen soon: Leonardo DiCaprio is planning to produce and star in a film adaptation of Conspiracy of Fools, Kurt Eichenwald's book about EnronEnron's collapse.

Entertainment Tonight reports that DiCaprio will play a newcomer to Enron "who discovers the corruption that leads to its bankruptcy implosion in 2001." So that would make him, what, maybe a male version of Sherron Watkins? (If anyone plays Watkins, by the way, we think it should be Martha Stewart. Not only does she have first-hand experience with high-level stock deals, but she also has the right hair — check Watkins out and see for yourself.) According to Variety, Warner Bros. paid seven figures to option Conspiracy of Fools; Sheldon Turner will reportedly write the script.

Buzz over the possible movie even reached City Hall yesterday, as the Chronicle's NewsWatch: City Hall noted: After the City Council meeting, a TV photographer asked Mayor Bill White if he had heard about the film. "Hey, we're a very interesting city, and I want to people to make movies in Houston," White said — but anyone wanna bet on the chances that the movie will actually be made here?

White then took a jab at DiCaprio: When someone told him the actor was set to star in the film, the mayor replied, "Most of our guys look a lot better than that, but otherwise it would be good casting for the movie." Snap!

(NewsWatch also gave us a mayoral gem in its report: White told reporters that Denzel Washington is his favorite actor, then said one of his kids had told him that "the reason I watched Lonesome Dove again is that I'm getting to be like Gus — ol' Robert Duvall." Well, it's better than Shelley Duvall, we guess. Thanks, Matt!)