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Martin Scorsese has two passion projects and both (!) have been delayed

Well, this is disappointing on just about every front.
ByDanilo Castro|
"Mean Streets" Screening - 2024 Tribeca Festival
"Mean Streets" Screening - 2024 Tribeca Festival | Michael Loccisano/GettyImages

Martin Scorsese is the great American master of the cinema. He has maintained a stranglehold on pop culture for five decades, and found critical success where so many of his peers have struggled. That said, Scorsese still runs into problems when it comes time to finance his next project. Or in the case of thelatestVarietyreport, multiple projects.

The outlet revealed that two of Scorsese's long-gestating film projects have been put on the shelf indefinitely. One of them isThe Life of Jesus, which, as implied, details the life of Jesus Christ, and the other is a biopic about crooner Frank Sinatra.

Scorsese has tried to make a Sinatra film since 2000

Martin Scorsese
Gangs of New York Screening - Black & White Photography by Chris Weeks | Chris Weeks/GettyImages

Scorsese originally planned to make these two films back-to-back, withThe Life of Jesusbeing a film that was seeking independent financing. No official cast had been announced, but the director was in talks to shoot in various locations throughout Israel, Egypt and Italy. Andrew Garfield was also floated as a potential star, given that he previously worked with Scorsese on 2016'sSilence.

The Sinatra film, meanwhile, has been collecting dust since the early 2000s. Scorsese originally planned to tell the life story of the legendary singer with John Travolta in the title role, but it was suggested that Leonardo DiCaprio would play Sinatra instead, when the film was revived in April.

Both films were set to begin production this year

Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese
"Killers Of The Flower Moon" Red Carpet - The 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival | Dave Benett/GettyImages

Martin Scorsese has spoken at length about the passion he has for both stories. He has also, more broadly speaking, discussed the importance of making stories he has a passion for as he gets older. He wants to make less films like 2010'sShutter Islandand more films likeThe IrishmanandKillers of the Flower Moon.

Variety does not provide a reason as to whyThe Life of Jesusand the Sinatra biopic were postponed. Both films were slated to begin production in 2024, with tentative releases set for 2025 and 2026. As it stands, Scorsese has no current film projects in the works.

He is, however, attached to produce a TV adaptation ofCape Fearfor Apple TV. The series will be a remake of the 1962 film, which was remade by Scorsese himself in 1991.

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