May 13, 2009

Martin Scorsese to make a Frank Sinatra biopic!

Exciting news from Variety:
Martin Scorsese is bringing Ol’ Blue Eyes to the bigscreen.
Universal Pictures has acquired “Sinatra” from Mandalay Pictures and brought on Scorsese — who has long flirted with a biopic on legendary singer and actor Frank Sinatra — to direct and produce.
Universal and Mandalay’s Peter Guber and Cathy Schulman have been quietly developing the project for two years while they worked feverishly to secure the life and music rights from Frank Sinatra Enterprises — a joint venture of the Sinatra Estate and Warner Music Group.
The process of acquiring the late entertainer’s life and particularly music rights was “very complicated, as you can imagine,” Schulman said, because of the multiple parties involved. “He was such a beloved man,” she added. “The responsibility we are taking on to tell his story — that would cause anyone to be very careful about who they grant these rights to. Everyone knows that Marty Scorsese is a final-cut director. So there had to be a lot of trust that he would tell this story in a way that didn’t destroy (Sinatra’s) memory.”
Project marks the first bigscreen pic to be made about the iconic Hoboken, N.J., native, whose life provided endless fodder for the gossip columnists because of his tumultuous love affairs, infamous friendships with the likes of President Kennedy and possible Mafia ties. Schulman described the story as an unconventional biopic that will touch on all phases of Sinatra’s life.
“My father had great admiration for the talent of the people he chose to work with, and the talented people who worked with my father had great admiration for him,” said Tina Sinatra. “It is personally pleasing to me that this paradigm continues with Marty Scorsese at the helm of the Sinatra film.”
Although no actor is attached to star in the film, Schulman said Leonardo DiCaprio is an obvious candidate because he has become Scorsese’s go-to actor over the past decade, having starred in the director’s past four narrative features: “Gangs of New York,” “The Aviator,” “The Departed” and the upcoming “Shutter Island.” Because any music in the film will come from Sinatra’s recordings, it will not be necessary to cast an actor who is a proficient singer.
Phil Alden Robinson (“Field of Dreams”) is writing the screenplay.
“We have dreamt of making a movie about Frank Sinatra, and Marty Scorsese is undeniably the perfect vision keeper for this project,” said Guber, whose Mandalay shingle has a first-look deal at U.
Gary LeMel, the former president of worldwide music distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures, is exec producing alongside Tina Sinatra and Robinson.
-This could be positively amazing, but if Leo isn't the choice, who would you cast to play Sinatra?

9 comments:

  1. He has ADD as of late, he's supposed to be making, a I think it was George Harrison documentary, Silence, Theodore Roosevelt, Wolf of Wall Street and now this...could be amazing but damn he needs to go 1 at a time...

    -Andrew

    ReplyDelete
  2. true, but this sounds absolutely incredible...Leo's a good choice...pretty much anyone but Zac Efron would do for me

    ReplyDelete
  3. Leo would work for me...otherwise maybe Bruce Greenwood? if he can sin that is...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Bruce Greenwood might work if he were a bit younger, depending on what era the film wants to take place. I feel like Leo would be the obvious choice, and while I'm sure he'd be good he doesn't much look like Sinatra. The casting may very well make or break this one.

    Also I agree that he needs to commit to his next project now. My vote is for Silence. Scorsese + Day-Lewis + Del Toro = potential magic.

    ReplyDelete
  5. on my to see list for certain
    -Matt

    ReplyDelete
  6. if it ever happens, that is
    -Matt

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would rather he make The Rise of Teddy Roosevelt first. I looked up some info on the pres, and he had an incredible life leading up to his Presidency. Leo will be amazing. Incredibly juicy role.

    -Robbie

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would rather he make The Rise of Teddy Roosevelt first. I looked up some info on the pres, and he had an incredible life leading up to his Presidency. Leo will be amazing. Incredibly juicy role.

    -Robbie

    ReplyDelete
  9. NO GODDAMNED OVERRATED LEO!!! What's wrong with people! Leo Sux!

    ReplyDelete