Anime News Network reports that Leonardo DiCaprio is considering casting Japan's SMAP entertainment group as the main leads in Warner Brothers and Appian Way's proposed live-action adaptation of the Ninja Scroll anime.

The site cited a story in the Nikkan Sports newspaper.

Yoshiaki Kawajiri wrote and directed the original 1993 anime, about a wandering ninja fighting a conspiracy of demons. Appian Way is DiCaprio's production company, which acquired the rights to the anime last year.

In addition to performing a string of hit singles, the five members of SMAP—Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Goro Inagaki and Shingo Katori—have acted in many films based on manga and anime.

According to Nikkan Sports, casting is in progress with DiCaprio's expressed intention to "cast with Japanese people."