As a lifelong cinephile and follower of Martin Scorsese’s illustrious career, I find myself deeply saddened by the recent delays in his upcoming projects – the Frank Sinatra biopic and The Life of Jesus adaptation. Scorsese is a master storyteller who has consistently pushed the boundaries of cinema with his unique vision and unparalleled skill.
Originally, Martin Scorsese had planned to shoot two movies consecutively, however, these films have been pushed back for some reason. Known as one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers ever, Scorsese recently received his tenth Academy Award nomination for Best Director in 2023’s “Killers of the Flower Moon”. His upcoming projects were to be personal endeavors he had been preparing for some time – a Frank Sinatra biopic and an adaptation of Shūsaku Endō’s 1973 novel, “The Life of Jesus”. It appears that both ventures have encountered significant obstacles.
As reported by Variety, Martin Scorsese had initially intended to shoot both biographical films – one on the life of Jesus and another on Frank Sinatra – this year. However, due to unspecified reasons, both projects have been postponed indefinitely. The Jesus biopic was scheduled to be filmed first, offering a unique perspective on Christ as both a divine being and a human. Despite the delay, the Jesus project is said to still be under development, with independent funding.
Currently, the Frank Sinatra biopic is facing a setback, as crew members who were initially hired for a supposed start date in November learned that the date was canceled and hasn’t been rescheduled since. The production of the Sinatra biopic appears to hinge on the approval of Tina Sinatra, Frank Sinatra’s daughter and owner of his estate. It is rumored that Scorsese’s biopic will focus on the dissolution of Sinatra’s first marriage to Nancy Barbato, Tina’s mother, and his high-profile marriage to Hollywood icon Ava Gardner. This isn’t the first time Scorsese has encountered issues with the Sinatra estate. As it stands, both projects are currently on hold indefinitely.
Martin Scorsese’s History With Frank Sinatra and The Life of Jesus
Martin Scorsese has been linked to a Frank Sinatra biopic since the 2000s, but the project repeatedly clashed with Sinatra’s estate due to early drafts of Scorsese’s film focusing on the musician’s alleged ties to organized crime. In 2017, after almost two decades of development, Scorsese declared the project was shelved. Later, it appeared that Bill Condon might be working on a Frank Sinatra biopic series, but no updates have been shared since its announcement in 2021. In April 2024, news resurfaced about Scorsese’s Frank Sinatra biopic with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence being considered for the roles of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, respectively. However, Frank Sinatra’s daughter, Nancy Sinatra, expressed disapproval of the casting choices.
The project titled “The Life of Jesus” appeared to gain momentum swiftly. During the promotional tour for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Scorsese expressed his intention to adapt the novel and emphasized a desire to concentrate on Jesus’ fundamental teachings while distancing himself from the commonly held negative perceptions often linked with religious beliefs. In his filmography, Scorsese has frequently delved into his Catholic upbringing, with “The Life of Jesus” seemingly serving as the third installment in a thematic trilogy that also encompasses 1988’s “The Last Temptation of Christ” and 2016’s “Silence,”, both of which were adaptations from novels by Shūsaku Endō.
Besides working on a biopic about Frank Sinatra, a retelling of The Life of Jesus, and an adaptation of The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann (author of the novel Killer of the Flower Moon), Scorsese was also planning this project. The story in The Wager revolves around a mutiny that occurred in 1741, and if completed, it would bring Scorsese and DiCaprio together again. However, there is no news about the progress of this project, leaving us unsure about Scorsese’s future endeavors. Still, movie enthusiasts are excitedly awaiting his next film.
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2024-09-26 00:34