Martin Scorsese postpones Frank Sinatra biopic and ‘The Life of Jesus’ movie
Director Martin Scorsese has postponed shooting on two of his most highly-anticipated projects, The Life of Jesus and his long-awaited Frank Sinatra biopic.
Scorsese won widespread acclaim in 2023 for his most recent project, Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. The film earned ten Academy Award nominations, including a nod to Gladstone for her leading performance.
Following the success of Killers of the Flower Moon, Scorsese planned to return to set to film two new projects. The first was the biblical epic The Life of Jesus, an adaptation of Shūsaku Endō’s 1973 book Life of Jesus. Scorsese’s previous collaborator Andrew Garfield was speculated to star, though official castings are yet to be confirmed.
This isn’t the first time Scorsese has looked to tell the story of Jesus Christ on-screen. In 1988, he directed The Last Temptation of Christ inspired by Nikos Kanzantzakis’ novel of the same name, with Willem Dafoe starring as the biblical character.
However, according to Variety, the new project has been pushed back and Scorsese is no longer set to begin shooting this year. The reasons for postponement have not been specified, but it seems that Scorsese’s other ongoing project, a biopic about singer and actor Frank Sinatra, has also received similar delays.
Scorsese has been attempting to make a biopic about the swing singer for over two decades now, but the project was finally set to begin shooting this year after prior delays.
Why hasn’t Martin Scorsese made his Frank Sinatra biopic?
Scorsese first had the idea to create a Frank Sinatra biopic in 2000, with plans to cast John Travolta in the leading role. The project never came to fruition, but Scorsese wasn’t ready to give up on the idea and would later look to cast Leonardo DiCaprio as the legendary singer.
However, Scorsese ran into problems when he asked the late performer’s estate about the biopic. They wouldn’t agree to the film, leading Scorsese to believe it would never happen. “I think it is finally over, he told The Toronto Sun in 2017, “[Sinatra’s estate] won’t agree to it.”
“Certain things are very difficult for a family, and I totally understand,” he continued, “But if they expect me to be doing it, they can’t hold back certain things. The problem is that the man was so complex. Everybody is so complex – but Sinatra in particular.”
Seven years later, in 2024, Scorsese seemed set to restart the project as rumours of DiCaprio’s casting began to circulate earlier this year. Nevertheless, the project has been pushed back once more. It is currently unconfirmed whether or not the director has secured the permission of the Sinatra estate, which will be needed for the film to proceed.
Never Miss A Scene
The Far Out Film Newsletter
All the latest film news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.