Raekwon Reveals RZA Rejected A Leonardo DiCaprio Wu-Tang Biopic

Leonardo DiCaprio is a big Wu-Tang Clan fan and wanted to use his production company to create a biopic about them, according to Raekwon. However, RZA had other ideas for the project and shut the plans down.  

Rolling Stone recently published an excerpt from Raekwon’s memoir “From Staircase To Stage: The Story Of Raekwon And Wu-Tang Clan.” In it, the New York native recalls being inspired by the success of N.W.A.’s “Straight Outta Compton.” He wanted to make a similar movie for Wu-Tang Clan while RZA wanted a scripted series.  

“I was against the deal because I didn’t like the terms, the money, any of it.,” Raekwon said of RZA’s plan for a Wu-Tang series. “I kept telling RZA to look at Straight Outta Compton, which made $200 million dollars worldwide and was the highest-grossing movie by a black director in history. It made no sense to me to sell our story for a TV series where nobody would walk away with real money. Everybody except RZA, that is, because he was getting more on the deal — as an executive producer, writer, creator, composer, and I’m sure a few other ways we’ll never know about.” 

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Leonardo DiCaprio Wanted To Make A Wu-Tang Clan Movie

Raekwon eventually met up with Leonardo DiCaprio through mutual friend Q-Tip to discuss the Hollywood star backing a movie based on the group. 

“We started talking about the possibility of a Wu-Tang movie and I told Leo I’d love to see him play a role in it, anything he wanted to do. He talked about his production company and all the directors he thought might do a great job — and these were big names and people he’d worked with.” 

Though RZA agreed to meet the bigwigs over at Dicaprio’s company, Raekwon believed he was going through the motions, never intending to accept. After three meetings, he and RZA argued when it became clear he had no intention of taking Leo’s Wu-Tang movie offer.  

“’You son of a b####,” I thought to myself. “You had something in your pocket the whole time and knew you’d never close this f###### deal.”

The Wu-Tang legend added,” You didn’t think I could put something together that was better than what you got. You ain’t about us. You about you, m###########.” 

Finally he said, “I kept my cool and didn’t spaz out on him, but in my heart I knew more than ever that his relationships in Hollywood mattered more to him than his relationship with us. He was burying a dream deal over pride.”