Scorsese to direct Sinatra biopic
By BRUCE KIRKLAND -- Sun Media
Martin Scorsese will direct a major biopic about the life of Frank Sinatra, according to film producer Tina Sinatra, Sinatra's youngest daughter.
But it will not be a Sinatra version of GoodFellas, Scorsese's gangster classic.
Instead, the combative singer-actor, who did socialize with crime figures, will be shown as innocent of any true involvement with the Mafia or other gangsters.
"Marty has always wanted to do this," Sinatra told Sun Media during a phone interview from Los Angeles.
Sinatra, who also produced the 1992 mini-series, Sinatra, said Scorsese is in a reflective period and is willing to present the truth about her father, who died on May 14, 1998.
That means dismissing scurrilous rumours that Sinatra was a stooge for the Mafia, Tina Sinatra said. Borrowing a metaphor from her father's own words, Sinatra said, "He never drove the getaway car." So, in the forthcoming Universal Pictures film, "I don't want him to be driving the getaway car. That would not be fair. But I trust him (Scorsese) implicitly."
Sinatra admitted it is premature to officially announce Scorsese for the biopic. Initially, she referred to the director as "the most prominent Italian-American filmmaker" working today in Hollywood.
When Sun Media guessed Francis Ford Coppola, she said: "We adore him but he didn't step up to it."
When Scorsese's name followed, Sinatra offered this: "I can't tell you yet but you're warmer."
Laughing, Sinatra later confirmed it was Scorsese. "You'll be reading about it very soon ... oh, go ahead and print it, I don't care!"
biopics are boring. as a rule.
OH, FRANKIE!
Universal, Peter Guber And Marty Scorsese Making Sinatra Film With Family Cooperation; Phil Robinson Writing
Source: Deadline Hollywood
EXCLUSIVE: He was an enigmatic legend, and it looks as if the picture that just came together will do that justice. I've just learned that Universal has acquired this project based on the life of Frank Sinatra from Mandalay Pictures. Phil Alden Robinson is writing the screenplay, and Marty Scorsese will direct as well as produce through his Sikelia Productions. The Sinatra family gave its permission, which is not easy to get, and youngest daughter Tina Sinatra will be an executive producer along with Robinson and Garry LeMel, the former president of Warner Bros music division and himself a musician. The producers will be Peter Guber and his movie exec Cathy Schulman. "This has been a passion project for Peter Guber for a long time, and first he got together with the Sinatra Estate, and then with Scorsese who's also a huge Sinatra fan," an insider tells me. That Scorsese might direct this film has been rumored for a year. In fact, Tina herself has told journalists in the past that she would "trust Scorsese implicitly" to "present the truth" about her father because he's also an Italian-American. No names of actors who might play Sinatra in the movie are circulating yet. Any suggestions?
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Scorsese set to direct Sinatra biopic
Screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson penned the script
Source: Hollwood Reporter
Frank Sinatra is finally getting his biopic, directed by no less a celebrity profiler than Martin Scorsese.
Universal Pictures has acquired "Sinatra," a script by "Field of Dreams" screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson with Scorsese attached to helm. Mandalay Pictures' Peter Guber and Cathy Schulman are producing along with Scorsese and his Sikelia Prods.
The deal comes after years of negotiations with Frank Sinatra Enterprises, a joint venture of the crooner's estate and Warner Music Group. Internal politics of the estate, where family members had to form a consensus as to how to tell the story and, more importantly, just how much of the story to tell -- was a hurdle that had to be overcome.
"The obstacles were ones of comfort and trust," Schulman said. "Everybody that was in control of the rights had to unanimously agree to do this. And having Marty at the head of this was the thing that ultimately cracked the code, so to speak."
There were also complicated rights issues, with the entire venture at one point getting bogged down over apparel merchandising rights, which the studio and the family were haggling over. That issue appears to be resolved.
Scorsese has taken on a host of historical figures throughout his career, most notably boxer Jake La Motta, billionaire recluse Howard Hughes and Jesus.
"Sinatra" not only will allow Scorsese to tackle the life of a fellow Italian-American with enormous cultural impact, it will also give him a chance to paint a portrait of Sinatra's pal, Dean Martin.
The filmmaker has for more than a decade been developing a biopic on Martin titled "Dino," working with a script by his "Casino" and "Goodfellas" writer Nicholas Pileggi based on the Nick Tosches biography, "Dino: Livin' High in the Dirty Business of Dreams."
"Dino" has been dormant for quite some time, though the research done for that project will likely inform "Sinatra" to an extent.
Speaking of research, Robinson, who was nominated for an Oscar for writing 1989's "Field of Dreams," had amassed 30,000 pages of it for "Sinatra," according to Schulman. And distilling it into a feature film has led the creative team to shun a traditional, linear storytelling approach in favor of a more unconventional one.
"It'll be almost like a collage," Schulman said. "In the way one of his records captures different rhythms and moods, this will have collective scenes and moments that form the overall story as opposed to a conventional timeline. It's about capturing moments as opposed to trying to tell the entire story in too little time."
A comparison could be made to Todd Haynes' 2007 Bob Dylan biopic "I'm Not There," which sketched out impressions of Dylan's life and work using six different actors, though only one actor is expected to play the Chairman of the Board.
With the artistic and social life he led, Sinatra's personal history is perfectly tailored for dramatic storytelling. Born in Hoboken, N.J., and raised during the Depression, he built a singing career that weathered many changes in popular culture, all the while racking up 31 gold records and countless other honors. He also had a successful career as an actor, proving naysayers wrong by earning an Oscar for 1953's "From Here to Eternity."
His personal life was just as eventful. He suffered from depression, was alleged to have connections to organized crime and was married four times; two of his wives were Ava Gardner and Mia Farrow.
No one has yet been cast in "Sinatra." The icon, who died 11 years ago Thursday, was portrayed on the small screen by Philip Casnoff in a 1992 TV movie and by Ray Liotta in HBO's 1998 movie "The Rat Pack."
The filmmaker who made Mean Streets will never return, but that being said, I'm intrigued by this project. Sinatra has lived so much of his life in the public eye that some people will go to watch this film hoping to relive their favorite Sinatra moment. Scorsese will either bow to the fans and make a drama that has all the career highlights with only a little drama (ex. Ray and Walk the Line) or he will go by a theme and make a film dedicated to the nature of the man ( ex. W. and Raging Bull) which will upset fans because not all the highlights will be present. Of course I prefer the latter, but biopics are always a challenge. It's hard to represent a life, especially a long one, on film.
The aspect of this film that will remind me of Goodfellas and Casino is how much this film will cross decades, but Scorsese won't have the comfort of violence here so this epic should be a lot different. Consider me excited to see a potential new personality for Scorsese, but it could just be another version of The Aviator.
Who the fucks going to play Sinatra? Fucking death sentence. Sinatra ain't Ali or Ray Charles where you just throw token adequate alright acting black dude in the role. It ain't Johnny Cash where you get the best actor that can emote the LEAST to play the role.
Sinatra's Sinatra.
Anyone who plays Sinatra for Marty is a jerk. An egomaniacal one.
Sinatra is impossible. Whoever they get to play this role will have us all rolling our eyes unless they create a machine to create zombies and have Frank play himself.
I really like typing Sinatra. It's one of those words, ya know?
Leo will do it.
I doubt Joe Piscopo is busy.
biopics :yabbse-thumbdown:
How about Barry Pepper or Channing Tatum
This project sounds intriguing. More so than any other Scorsese has been involved in recent years (excepting Silence), specially the part about "capturing moments" instead of having a linear narrative. I also thought inmediately of something like Raging Bull AND The Aviator, films that to me are kind of doing the same thing, illustrating a personality through filmmaking.
Actors to play Sinatra? Has to be an assholish type. I'm clueless.
Quote from: Alexandro on May 14, 2009, 11:59:59 AM
Actors to play Sinatra? Has to be an assholish type. I'm clueless.
If Guy Pearce could get the accent right, I think he has the chops to do it.
UPDATE: Johnny Depp As Frank Sinatra?
Source: Deadline Hollywood
Director Marty Scorsese may want Leonardo DiCaprio for the coming biopic about Frank Sinatra. (Just as Marty wanted Leo for Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, and soon Shutter Island.) But I hear Universal's first choice to fill the role may be Johnny Depp. The studio is thrilled with his performance in this summer's forthcoming Public Enemies and very much wants to stay in the Johnny Depp business. Besides, it's already been determined that the lead actor playing Sinatra won't be singing. The movie will feature Sinatra's own recordings thanks to a deal with Frank Sinatra Enterprises, guaranteeing the participation of the Sinatra estate and Warner Music Group. Besides, Scorsese and Depp have never worked together: that alone could be reason enough to see this pic.
Quote from: polkablues on May 14, 2009, 01:58:51 AM
I doubt Joe Piscopo is busy.
hahhaha. i can't stop laughing about this.
Depp would never play Sinatra. it would be terrible.
if i was a betting man, i'd put all my money on Chris Pine.
watch this quote come back to haunt me. just watch.
If only Phil Hartman was alive...
Quote from: Gold Trumpet on May 14, 2009, 03:15:14 PM
Quote from: Alexandro on May 14, 2009, 11:59:59 AM
Actors to play Sinatra? Has to be an assholish type. I'm clueless.
If Guy Pearce could get the accent right, I think he has the chops to do it.
he could be great, but we all know this is going to be expensive, probably 130 million or something and they need a star.
if it's between depp and leo, I think di caprio is the way to go.
Well, this is a good choice in director. Scorsese excels at movies about gangsters.
TINA WANTS A 'SOFTER' FRANK
Source: NY Post
THE Sinatra clan is none too pleased with the dark direction Martin Scorsese is taking with his biopic of Frank Sinatra.
Back in May, it was announced that the Academy Award-winning director had signed on to direct the life story of Ol' Blue Eyes, with Universal and Mandalay set to produce. Phil Alden Robinson, who wrote "Field of Dreams," was brought in as a screenwriter.
But according to a source close to the Sinatra family, Frank's daughter and the film's executive producer, Tina Sinatra, is worried that Scorsese's vision might ultimately taint her father's legacy.
"Marty wants it to be hard-hitting and showcase the violent, sexually charged, hard-drinking Frank, but Tina wants to show the softer side of her dad and let the focus be on the music," says our source.
"The '60s were a very swinging time for Frank -- he was having sex with a garden variety of bimbos and cementing his Rat Pack status. It's a really key time to his mythology. And Tina really wants to make sure that a sanitized Frank comes through, and that it's not overly negative."
Among those whose names have been thrown into the ring to play the Chairman of the Board are Scorsese's favorite, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tina Sinatra's choice, George Clooney, and the studio's preference, Johnny Depp.
Whichever star lands the role doesn't need to worry about singing, as Universal acquired the rights to Sinatra's catalog for the picture, and the actor will be lip-synching.
Tina Sinatra did not return our calls for comment. Scorsese's rep, Leslee Dart, tells Page Six, "Marty has been swamped working on 'Shutter Island' and his HBO project, 'Boardwalk Empire,' and he hasn't even begun to turn his attention to this. He and Tina are looking forward to working together in the future."
Bitch....sorry still angry.
Doesn't she realize sex, booze, and violence are cool, and would increase his popularity with the young people? :doh:
just do fucking Silence, man. Do a slow one.
George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Johnny Depp battle to play Frank Sinatra their way
Three of Hollywood's leading men are in the frame to star in Martin Scorsese's forthcoming Frank Sinatra biopic
Source: The Observer
Together they have earned almost £3bn at the box office. But with only one best supporting actor Oscar between them, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Johnny Depp are all fighting to land the role that will surely give the victor the best chance yet of securing the critical acclaim to match their earning power.
All three A-listers are in the frame to play Frank Sinatra in Martin Scorsese's forthcoming biopic, and each has a powerful backer. Scorsese, who won his first best director Oscar in 2006 for The Departed, wants his current muse DiCaprio to play the Rat Pack singer. The two are putting the finishing touches to Shutter Island, their fourth film together, before Scorsese turns his attention to making Sinatra next year.
Executives at Universal, the studio financing the film, are pushing for Depp to play Sinatra, after being impressed by his performance as bank robber John Dillinger in Public Enemies this year.
But Sinatra's daughter, Tina, has her own view of how her father should be portrayed, which critics feel would be a sanitised life story. She favours Clooney, in what would be his most challenging role to date, as a safe pair of hands.
Reports in America suggest she is worried that Scorsese, who did not flinch at portraying the dark side of boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull and billionaire Howard Hughes in The Aviator, may favour giving Sinatra the same treatment. The New York Post quoted a source close to the Sinatra family saying: "Marty wants it to be hard-hitting and showcase the violent, sexually charged, hard-drinking Frank, but Tina wants to show the softer side of her dad and let the focus be on the music. The 60s were a very swinging time for Frank – he was having sex with a garden variety of bimbos and cementing his Rat Pack status. It's a really key time to his mythology. And Tina really wants to make sure that a sanitised Frank comes through, and that it's not overly negative."
"Clooney would be my choice," said Dan Jolin, features editor at Empire magazine. "I think he has the requisite easy charisma to pull it off in terms of Sinatra's onstage persona, although I think all three choices are perhaps too likeable to sell me Sinatra's dark side – the rages, the vindictiveness, and so on. It should be a warts-and-all story, hands down. That's where the real drama will come from and it certainly worked for Jake LaMotta. Also, there's nothing people enjoy seeing more than an icon being creatively and excitingly tarnished."
Brandon Lee, from the Independent Film Channel, said: "I've got high hopes that someone will have an intervention with Scorsese regarding his Leonardo DiCaprio addiction in time for the casting. Scorsese is the right director to helm such a picture, his love and deft handling of cool, macho packs of guys is half the battle. But it's his choice of lead that worries me. Of course, Scorsese wants a violent, sexed-up, mob-related picture. Tina reportedly prefers a softer approach that focuses on the music. Clearly, she should be removed from the decision-making process, but we can't blame her either."
As the executive producer who has granted permission on behalf of the Sinatra estate for Scorsese to use all of her father's famous songs, it is Tina's opinion that could hold sway.
At least whoever wins does not have to worry about singing. Any music in the film will come from Sinatra's own recordings, after Universal and production partners Mandalay successfully spent two years negotiating with Frank Sinatra Enterprises for the right to use his voice. The script will be written by Phil Alden Robinson, who served as both screenwriter and director of Field of Dreams and Sneakers.
Scorsese's picture is the first big-screen movie depicting the man known as the Chairman of the Board, who died of a heart attack in 1998 aged 82. Sinatra was raised in New Jersey by Italian immigrants and won 10 Grammy awards and a best supporting actor Oscar.
Off screen he led the Rat Pack, famous for their parties as much as performances at Las Vegas casinos during the 1960s. The group also included Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. Sinatra's life filled the pages of gossip columnists with tales of sexual intrigues, presidential friendships and mafia links. Producer Cathy Schulman said: "Everyone knows 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."
I say let them triple-team it, "I'm Not There" style. And while we're at it, throw Cate Blanchett in the mix, because why the hell not.
You know what would be better than this? A movie about a Sinatra-like character that wasn't bound to what actually happened, or pleasing the estate, or impersonations, or lip synching.
Biopics: :sleeping:
Martin Scorsese Talks Frank Sinatra Biopic, Aiming For 'The Aviator' Meets 'Goodfellas'
Source: ThePlaylist
Martin Scorsese recently spoke with Shortlist about his gestating biopic on famous entertainer, Frank Sinatra which will now have to follow his forthcoming children's film "The Invention Of Hugo Cabret," Jesuit-priest pic "Silence" and mob-film "The Irishman" with Robert De Niro.
"We're still working on the 'Sinatra' script," Scorsese reiterates. "It's very hard because here is a man who changed the entire image of the Italian-American. And that's just one thing. Along with his political work, civil rights, the Mob..."
While the director once again confirms he has yet to discuss the role with any actor, he did name-drop a few actors he'd like to work with in the future aside from usual collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio.
"Johnny Depp is one. I like him. He's unique. I don't know how he does it. George Clooney. Brad Pitt is interesting. And Tobey Maguire. There's a lot of good people."
It sounds like just an A-list name-dropping session but, interestingly, Depp and Clooney were previously linked to the role of Sinatra along side with DiCaprio with a reported three way battle between the director, the studio and Sinatra's daughter rumored to be taking place about which actor would be best fit the role. Though perhaps Scorsese appease all parties by fitting all three in? That being said, the director flat out denies talking to any of them about the Sinatra film so its all conjecture at this point.
"I was hoping it would be a combination of the two ["The Aviator" and "Goodfellas"]. Yeah, because in structure I'd like it to be more like 'GoodFellas.' But like 'The Aviator,' it only deals with certain times in his life. We can't go through the greatest hits of Sinatra's life. We tried this already. Just can't do it. So the other way to go is to have three or four different Sinatras. Younger. Older. Middle-aged. Very old. You cut back and forth in time – and you do it through the music. See what I'm saying? So that's what we're trying for. It's very tricky [laughs]."
Could this mean Scorsese will be utilizing mutliple actors to portray different times in Sinatra's life like Todd Haynes' "I'm Not There"? Imagine that: DiCaprio as the younger Sinatra, Depp as the older and Clooney as the middle-aged, all running around in the same film. It's purely wishful thinking on our part but wouldn't that would be something? Scorsese had previously discussed the inter-cutting script but seems more assured about what his going for this time around.
Either way, with three pics ahead of 'Sinatra' in the pecking order, don't expect this is to film until 2012 at the very earliest.
Martin Scorsese Wants Al Pacino & Robert De Niro To Play Frank Sinatra & Dean Martin In Upcoming Biopic
Source: The Playlist
While doing press rounds for "Shutter Island" which only opened in India this past weekend, Martin Scorsese spoke with national newspaper The Hindu and took the opportunity to talk about one of his many gestating projects, a biopic of American music icon Frank Sinatra.
As we previously reported, the director has noted that Sinatra's life is epic, making the straightforward biopic particularly difficult, and Scorsese is hoping an approach with a few actors playing the singer at various points in his life will allow him an entry into the story saying, "We can't go through the greatest hits of Sinatra's life. We tried this already. Just can't do it. So the other way to go is to have three or four different Sinatras. Younger. Older. Middle-aged. Very old. You cut back and forth in time – and you do it through the music. See what I'm saying? So that's what we're trying for. It's very tricky [laughs]."
While names like Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Brad Pitt have been batted around as actors Scorsese would love to work with at some point (though none of them have officially been offered anything at this point), it looks like the director already has his wishlist sorted out for who will play the older incarnations of Sinatra and Dean Martin: "I'm yet to spot the actor who can bring back Frank Sinatra alive on screen. My choice is Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro as Dean Martin."
Um, holy shit. While it's obviously only dream casting at this point, that would make a helluva duo to play the singers in the later stages of their career. We're a little unsure about Pacino, but in the same interview, Scorsese says he's the only actor who match De Niro's talents. At the very least, if he does get cast surely Scorsese can get him to tone down the "hoo-ha" for the part.
However, until a concrete script and cast come together for this, the film will just be one of many -- including "The Irishman," "Silence," a couple of down-and-dirty street movies, a handful of documentaries -- that remain on Scorsese's slate of projects. There's no word on when this will go in front of cameras, but if a script gets locked in that Scorsese likes and that meets with the approval of the various estates involved, it could rapidly move up the pecking order for the director. Scorsese, meantime, is set to begin work next month in Paris on his first 3D film, "Hugo Cabret," starring Chloe Moretz, Asa Butterfield, Sacha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley.
of course.
Martin Scorsese Exits Frank Sinatra Biopic
via The Playlist
While "Silence" has been the project Martin Scorsese has carried around with him the longest, there are a small handful more that have also been percolating for years, and of those is a biopic on the legendary crooner, Frank Sinatra. A film about the iconic singer, who rubbed shoulders with politicians, gangsters and celebrities, saw the rise of Las Vegas, made music history, and left an impact on the big screen too, seems like a no brainer for Scorsese, but it has proven difficult to mount.
There have been a lot of grand ideas around the movie that at one point had mega-producer Scott Rudin attached, including shooting in 3D, and enlisting Al Pacino and Robert De Niro to play Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. But unfortunately, Scorsese has decided to walk from the movie because he can't tell the story he way he wants to.
"We can't do it! ... I think it is finally over. They [remaining members of the Sinatra clan] won't agree to it. Open it up again and I'm there!" he told the Toronto Sun. "Certain things are very difficult for a family, and I totally understand. 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."
Just swinging the door wide open for Seth MacFarlane to swoop in and take over.