Leonardo DiCaprio‘s last outing with a Dennis Lehane adaptation (Shutter Island) not only made room for a career-best performance, but also led to what was, in my humble view, a near-masterpiece of a film. So even though the one up for discussion today probably won’t nab Martin Scorsese twixt now and the start of production, it’s almost inherently obvious that something valuable can be mined from this collaboration.

Anyway, Deadline reports that DiCaprio and his production company, Appian Way, will collaborate with Warner Bros. on Live By Night, a big-screen take on Lehane‘s October-bound novel of the same name. This, interestingly enough, means they’re also adapting a sequel to his 2008 book, The Given Day, which focused on two men living in Boston around the end of World War I; DiCaprio would likely play Irish cop Danny Coughlin, a character now in the midst of Prohibition.

You’ll probably notice The Given Day didn’t make its way to screens — despite the better intentions of talent such as Sam Raimi — but I’d assume DiCaprio and his people know what they’re doing. A quick assumption, but one that stems from both general logic and, more importantly, the note that Warner Bros. “controls all the material” that Lehane has done (or will craft) with this prospective trilogy. With The Given Day being more than 700 pages as is, perhaps we’re getting a condensation of that book and Night in one? Just put out something half as good as Shutter Island and we’ll be square.

Is this the right material for DiCaprio to take under his wing? Have you read The Given Day?