The Director's Chair > Martin Scorsese

Silence

<< < (5/6) > >>

MacGuffin:
Has The Financial Disappointment Of 'Hugo' Killed The Chances Of Martin Scorsese's 'Silence' Getting Made?
Source: Playlist

While the critical adulation -- eleven Oscar nominations and five wins -- for Martin Scorsese's "Hugo" put a nice finish on the film's journey to the big screen, in the cold light of day, and on a financial level, the film was a bust. While it didn't get the same kind of ink that something like "Men In Black 3" did, production on "Hugo" was rocky, with Scorsese struggling to adjust to 3D during the filming, forcing the production schedule that was loosely slated from July to November 2010 to get extended to February 2011. At when it was all tallied up, the final price tag of the movie was apparently somewhere in the neighborhood of $180 million, and with the film only taking in $182 million worldwide it was likely not the hit backers GK Films was looking for. And according to THR, this has put a strain on the relationship between producer Graham King and filmmaker Martin Scorsese, potentially putting the director's long-gestating dream project "Silence" in jeopardy.

First, let's rewind a bit. King and Scorsese have been joined at the hip for the last decade or so, collaborating on a string of successful films including "The Departed," "The Aviator" and "Gangs of New York" and both brought their producer powers to "The Young Victoria." And it seemed they would be continuing to work together in the future. It was just over a year ago that it was reported that "Silence" would be Scorsese's next picture, with Graham King backing the film. But it seems much has changed since then.

According to the trade, "Hugo" cost GK Films nearly $80 million in losses, and added up to a dismal 2011 that also included duds like "The Rum Diary" and "In the Land of Blood and Honey." But more importantly, GK Films money man, oil billionaire Tim Headington, is said to be bleeding to the tune of $200-250 million, which may cause him to reassess his input into the company. Needless to say, there is now apparently friction between King and Scorsese because of the position "Hugo" has put the producer in, and that is the reason why "Silence" did not go forward as planned.

But we understand King's reluctance to pull the trigger on "Silence." It's certainly a film that would be tough to position, an adaptation of Shusaku Endo's novel about two 17th century Jesuit priests who face violence and persecution when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor and to spread the gospel of Christianity. Even with actors like Daniel Day-Lewis, Benicio Del Toro and Gael Garcia Bernal linked to roles early on, a period movie about religion isn't going to be packing them in. Certainly if "Hugo" had been a runaway success, it would be much easier to get this moving, but it does say something that the next movie Scorsese is doing is the much more commercially viable "The Wolf of Wall Street" with buddy and megastar Leonardo DiCaprio. And it notedly marks a break with King, with the film set up at Red Granite Pictures.

So what will become of "Silence"? If King ultimately decides he's not going to make it, we presume Scorsese could work out a deal to take it elsewhere, package the picture and hope to get financing. But again, given the subject matter and the potential cost, even with Scorsese's name attached, it might be a hard one to drum up support for. However, if "The Wolf of Wall Street" is a hit (and there's really no reason why it won't be), everyone could soften up and find a reason to get Scorsese's passion project made. Memories are short in Hollywood, money and success talks, and maybe this time next year, it will all be water under the bridge for King and Scorsese.

MacGuffin:
Martin Scorsese's Long Developing 'Silence' Finds Backer In Cecchi Gori Pictures, To Be Produced First On Company's Slate
Source: Playlist

A little extra patience is all it takes, it seems. After the financial disappointment of “Hugo” reportedly divided Martin Scorsese and his producer Graham King, halting plans to bring his dream project “Silence” to the screen, we wondered whether the venture would ever recover given its long gestation, but it seems the European company responsible for “Il Postino” and “Life is Beautiful” has been waiting in the wings the entire time.

Niels Juul, the CEO of the recently revived Cecchi Gori Pictures, revealed in an interview with THR his financial backing of “Silence,” and also that Scorsese's project is further along that initially thought: “It's been in pre-production for a while.” Juul said, “We don't know the schedule quite yet, but that's definitely a signed deal and that would probably be our first feature back in the swing of things.” This hustle appears completely, but excitingly, incongruous to the general temperature before it, with King taking an $80 million loss on “Hugo” making the prospect of the period drama "Silence” an ever harder sell. With Cecchi Gori, a price tag hasn't been mentioned yet, but with its historical and international setting, undoubtedly high-profile cast, and a company ready to back its acquisition, the number might remain a reason for King to shudder, even on the sidelines.

The project is a crucial one for Scorsese, clearly, but it is from the perspective of Juul that it takes on an even greater import. “Silence” represents an opportunity for Cecchi Gori, which he's been CEO of for three years now, to revive its tarnished image after years of legal disputes with former presidents and mishandled funds. The company once saw American success with “Seven” and “A Bronx Tale,” and Juul is looking to Scorsese to match that feat once more, with "Silence" set to be the first production out of the gate for the company.

Promising as this all seems though, don't expect news of a “Silence” release date just yet. Scorsese has “The Wolf of Wall Street” with Leonardo DiCaprio scheduled to shoot in August, and post-production/release on that will likely take some time. Still, following that, Scorsese seemingly has the path paved for him to bring his dream project to fruition, and we are excited to see it happen.

Pozer:

--- Quote from: The Playlist on April 26, 2012, 02:02:03 PM ---Has The Financial Disappointment Of 'Hugo' Killed The Chances Of Martin Scorsese's 'Silence' Getting Made?

--- End quote ---

nope, scorsese himself did ...

Martin Scorsese Sued By Producer Cecchi Gori Over Alleged Deal to Direct 'Silence'
Cecchi Gori claims it invested $750,000 to develop the property and that Scorsese agreed way back in 1990 to direct it after Kundun (1997).
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Martin Scorsese has been sued by the production company behind a film project that the Oscar-winning director allegedly promised to direct more than two decades ago.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by THR, Cecchi Gori Pictures, the production company headed by Vittorio Cecchi Gori, claims it entered into several agreements with Scorsese and his Sikelia Productions for him to direct Silence, based on a Japanese novel by Shusaku Endo about missionaries who are sent to Japan in 1683 to investigate reports of Christians being tortured by the country's emperor.

Cecchi Gori claims it invested $750,000 to develop the property and that Scorsese agreed way back in 1990 to direct it after Kundun (1997). In 2004 and 2011, Scorsese and his company allegedly signed deals to postpone Silence so he could direct The Departed, Shutter Island and Hugo. As part of those deals, Scorsese is said to have agreed to pay "substantial compensation and other valuable benefits, for the right to direct these three other films prior to Silence," according to the complaint. Those fees are said to be $1.5 million per film plus 20 percent of Scorsese's backend compensation. 

The suit claims Scorsese never paid his agreed-on delay fee for Hugo and now has decided to direct Wolf of Wall Street for Paramount (with Leonardo DiCaprio and an all-star cast) instead of Silence. "The Checchi Gori Parties cannot allow their rights to be ignored or compromised by further delay on the part of Scorsese and Sikelia," the complaint alleges.

We've reached out to Scorsese rep Leslee Dart for comment and will update with a response.

The suit, filed by Charles Harder and Marc Rohatiner of L.A.'s Wolf Rifkin Shapiro Schulman & Rabkin, alleges causes of action for breach of contract and intentional misrepresentation.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/martin-scorsese-movies-lawsuit-cecchi-gori-364934

MacGuffin:
"Has all the earmarks of a media stunt": Martin Scorsese Rages Against Cecchi Gori's Bull
Source: indiewire

Martin Scorsese has fired back at a new lawsuit being filed against him. As reported by The Wrap, Cecchi Gori Pictures recently filed suit against the legendary filmmaker and his Sikelia Productions company for not directing an adaptation of Shusaku Endo's 1996 novel "Silence," per alleged written agreements (the first of which was reportedly made back in 1990).

Claiming that the lawsuit -- which accuses Scorsese and Sikelia of two counts of breach of written contract, intentional misrepresentation and negligent misrepresentation -- has "all the earmarks of a media stunt," the statement reads:

It is shocking to us that the lawyers for Cecchi Gori Pictures would file a suit pursuing such absurd claims considering the amicable working relationship existing between Martin Scorsese and the principals of Cecchi Gori Pictures. The claims asserted are completely contradicted by, inconsistent with, and contrary to the express terms of an agreement entered into by the parties last year.

According to the suit filed Wednesday, Scorsese was to shoot "Silence" after "Kundun," but opted to direct "Bringing Out the Dead" and "Gangs of New York," during which time Cecchi Gori Pictures incurred development costs that reached $750,000 by 2001. Following his 2004 drama "The Aviator," the director allegedly agreed to direct "Silence," but didn't. The company filed the lawsuit once they learned of Scorsese's plan to follow-up his Oscar-winning family film "Hugo" with "The Wolf of Wall Street," and not "Silence." According to Cecchi Gori Pictures, the filmmaker had agreed to start production on "Silence" by the end of year.

"Silence," based on Japanese author Shusaku Endo's novel about Portugese missionaries sent to Japan in 1683 to investigate claims of the torture of Christians by the emperor, is one of the primary remaining assets for Cecchi Gori Pictures, the film company led by Vittorio Cecchi Gori (responsible for the little-seen Robert De Niro family drama "Everybody's Fine"), that has been undergoing financial restructuring for the last several years.

The company claims Scorsese and Sikelia owe $1.5 million, plus 20% of all "back-end" compensation received by the director, related to "Hugo."

"The Wolf of Wall Street," which tracks the rise of fall of New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort, is set to come out next year and stars Scorsese regular Leonardo DiCaprio, alongside a starry cast that includes Jonah Hill, Jean Dujardin, and Matthew McConaughey. Following "Wall Street," Scorsese has a number of projects in the works, including his long gestating Frank Sinatra biopic (currently being written by "The Hunger Games" scribe Billy Ray), and the gangster pic "The Irishman," which would reunite him with Robert De Niro.

MacGuffin:
Martin Scorsese Tests Out Script For Mob Drama ‘The Irishman’ With De Niro, Pacino, Pesci; But ‘Silence’ Is Marty’s Next Pic
BY MIKE FLEMING JR | Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: For my part, Martin Scorsese can’t make enough movies. But he’s trying. Scorsese, who is completing The Wolf Of Wall Street with Leonardo DiCaprio, just held a reading of Steve Zaillian’s script at the Tribeca Film Center for The Irishman, the mob drama based on the Charles Brandt book I Heard You Paint Houses. The film is about mob hit man Frank Sheeran. Robert De Niro, who’ll play the lead character, was there, as was Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, also expected to take part. Project is set up at Paramount, but several financiers were there looking to invest.

I’m told by Scorsese’s camp that this is something Scorsese likes to do to make sure the picture is making proper progress. But they assure me he’s not making The Irishman next. Scorsese’s holding fast to his dream of making Silence the next film he directs. Scorsese, who almost had the Shusaku Endo book project together several times, is auditioning actors and is looking to start production on the film in mid-2014. Given De Niro’s resurgence in Silver Linings Playbook, how can we wait that long to see the actor get back in business with Scorsese?

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page