(Left) Academy Award winner Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio at the Governors Ball after the 79th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 25, 2007. Credit/Provider: Courtesy of AMPAS. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Dwayne Johnson in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.
Preview:
- Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are aboard a new crime film.
- The Hawaii-set thriller will also star Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.
- Nick Bilton is aboard to write the script.
Martin Scorsese making a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio? Hardly the biggest news: that cinematic pair have collaborated on six movies together, including ‘Shutter Island,’ ‘The Aviator,’ ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ and ‘Gangs of New York.’
But Martin Scorsese making a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio in Hawaii that will also star Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt? To paraphrase a former DiCaprio character, you had our curiosity… but now you have our attention!
According to Deadline, however, that is exactly what’s happening. Johnson and Blunt, who appeared together in ‘Jungle Cruise’ and have another co-starring project on the way (more on that below), have clearly formed a creative partnership of their own.
They approached Scorsese with the idea for a crime drama set on the island of Hawaii, and that has led to a compelling package including the director, his regular acting muse and Johnson and Blunt all working together.
And now, with Nick Bilton –– who is a special correspondent for Vanity Fair, has written books and served on the writing staff of shows including ‘The Idol’ and ‘Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal’ –– writing the script, this is set to spark a huge bidding contest across Hollywood as a raft of studios and streaming companies will be vying for the rights to this project.
Despite everyone involved being busy with movies and other development, you know this is one that will go to the front of everyone’s schedules assuming it comes together.
What’s the story of the new movie?
(L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and director Martin Scorsese on the set of ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’. Photo: Apple TV+.
While we don’t have a title yet, here’s the basic synopsis for the film…
It focuses on a turbulent time on the island paradise when an aspiring mob boss battled rival crime factions to wrest control of the underworld of the Hawaiian islands. It was a bloody battle, the kind of terrain Scorsese covered in both ‘Goodfellas’ and ‘The Departed.’
In 1960s and 70s Hawaii, this formidable and charismatic mob boss rises to build the islands’ most powerful criminal empire, waging a brutal war against mainland corporations and rival syndicates while fighting to preserve his ancestral land.
It’s based on the untold true story of a man who fought to preserve his homeland through a ruthless quest for absolute power — igniting the last great American mob saga, where the war for cultural survival takes place in the unlikeliest of places: paradise.
There’s no word yet on who would play what, but we can imagine Johnson as the crime boss and DiCaprio as his rival.
What else is Dwayne Johnson working on?
Dwayne Johnson in ‘The Smashing Machine’. Photo: A24.
Johnson, of course, has roots in Hawaii and has long wanted to make a movie set there (after years of convincing producers to shoot the likes of the ‘Jumanji’ movies and even part of ‘Red One’ there.)
He has kicked around a movie about King Kamehameha, who in a much different way used his strength and persuasiveness to unite the islands to improve the dealing with the explorers that were finding their way to the island shores.
Next up for Johnson in terms of release is ‘The Smashing Machine,’ the true tale of an MMA fighter, which director Benny Safdie is finishing up for release via A24 this year.
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The actor is currently at work on Disney’s live-action version of ‘Moana,’ which will see him playing Maui, the role he voiced in the 2016 animated movie and its sequel, which landed last year. The updated ‘Moana’ will be in theaters next year.
And, of course, he’s got a load of other projects in development, mostly as producer. This aim to work with Scorsese and DiCaprio represents just the latest step for Johnson, who is clearly looking to be taken more seriously as an actor and prove his range outside of blockbuster comedies and action franchises.
Where will we see Emily Blunt?
Oscar® nominee Emily Blunt arrives on the red carpet of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
Blunt co-stars in ‘The Smashing Machine’ alongside Johnson, playing his character’s wife.
She’s also aboard Steven Spielberg’s mysterious new movie, which is rumored to be a new event film, and recently changed its release date from May to June next year to avoid competition from Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Star Wars’ outing ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu,’ which are likely to dominate May.
Beyond that, Blunt is attached to a Kate Warne biopic, an action movie called ‘Ball and Chain’ (which may co-star Johnson but appears to be in limbo for now), sequels to ‘Jungle Cruise,’ ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and ‘Live Die Repeat Repeat,’ the current title for the follow-up to ‘Edge of Tomorrow,’ which saw her sharing the screen with Tom Cruise.
What does Martin Scorsese have on his schedule?
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ director Martin Scorsese.
Scorsese, who last brought us ‘Killers of the Flower Moon,’ has a whole bundle of potential movies on his To Do list, including one about Jesus and another about Frank Sinatra.
He’s also still developing an adaptation of Erik Larson’s book ‘The Devil in the White City’ alongside DiCaprio, which recently took a positive step forward.
Outside of his own projects, the legendary director will be seen in crime mystery ‘Hand of Dante’ and appears as himself in the upcoming Seth Rogen starring/produced Apple TV+ series ‘The Studio.’
Related Article: Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio Reviving Movie Based on ‘The Devil in the White City’
Where will we see Leonardo DiCaprio?
Leonardo DiCaprio attends the ‘Don’t Look Up’ World Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 05, 2021 in New York City. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix.
As for DiCaprio, he’s most recently worked on Paul Thomas Anderson’s next movie (which doesn’t currently have an official title right now but at one point was known as ‘One Battle After Another’ and is reportedly causing studio Warner Bros. some concerns during test screenings given its hefty budget).
He’s also involved in ‘Howl,’ an adventure movie with an eco-friendly theme that boasts Jane Goodall as one of its co-producers, and there of course the variety of other films and ideas jostling for attention in his capacity as a producer.
When will the new movie be in theaters?
With no studio or streaming service in place yet, there is no release date to report. That said, as mentioned above, a project this compelling surely won’t last long on the market and is sure to be snapped up quickly.
Martin Scorsese arrives on the red carpet of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
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