Leonardo DiCaprio to make film on Volkswagen scandal

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way production company is joining with Paramount Pictures to make a movie about the Volkswagen AG diesel-emissions cheating scandal, according to the studio. Paramount, part of Viacom Inc., acquired the movie rights to a proposed book on the scandal by Jack Ewing with DiCaprio’s company, the studio said. The trade publication Variety reported on the actor’s involvement earlier Monday. Directing and acting decisions haven’t been made, according to the publication. Hollywood studios have been keen to seize on business scandals and have been competing aggressively for book rights. Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. next year will release “Deepwater Horizon,” a story about the BP Plc offshore oil platform that exploded in 2010. The film stars Mark Wahlberg. Paramount plans to release “The Big Short,” a film based Michael Lewis’s book about the collapse of the housing market. Film credits for DiCaprio’s company include “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “The Revenant,” which will be released in December. (By Anousha Sakoui/Bloomberg)