Deadline has word that Martin Scorsese‘s The Irishman is finally coming together with a projected production start next year and release in late 2018.
The gangster film would see Marty reunited with his muse Robert De Niro in the lead role of hitman Frank Sheeran.
Oscar winning screenwriter Steve Zaillian (Schindler’s List, American Gangster) wrote the script that is based on the deathbed story of hitman Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran that was turned into the novel I Heard You Paint Houses (a reference to blood splattered walls) by Charles Bandt.
Sheeran was a notorious hitman with potential links to the disappearance of Union leader Jimmy Hoffa and the assassination of JFK, along with multiple killings.
Steve and Martin previously worked together on the mostly underrated Gangs of New York.
This might be one of the last gangster pictures we get from Martin Scorsese as it doesn’t look like his Departed trilogy will ever be made. He had hoped to include Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel and Joe Pesci into the mix, but Pesci as opted out and it’s unknown if Harvey will end-up with a role.
Paramount has the domestic distribution rights, STX Entertainment has a majority of the international distribution rights, while Media Asia will handle the Chinese rights.
I’m sure with distribution now in place, casting will now begin very shortly.
SOURCE: DEADLINE