One of the big deals to come out of Cannes over the weekend revolved around Martin Scorsese's THE IRISHMAN. With financing for the film secured, as Gaston Pavlovich's Fabrica de Cine and STX Entertainment partnered up to foot the project's $100 million budget, it seemed like we were on the road to reunion with Scorsese once again getting together with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci to make a movie… the first time that would be happening since 1995's CASINO.
Not so fast, my friends. That road may have crumbled right beneath while we were dreaming of a return to the glory days. Damn nostalgia and your distractions!
While it does sound cool that Al Pacino is involved in the film, word is quickly circulating that Joe Pesci may not be as in as everyone thought. According to The Hollywood Reporter…
But one question mark is the involvement of Joe Pesci. Sources say Pesci, who largely has retired from the film business, repeatedly has told Scorsese no, but the director remains hopeful that he can lure back his GOODFELLAS star.
Pesci hasn't made a film since 2010, when he was a part of Taylor Hackford's LOVE RANCH, and it doesn't seem he's in a rush to get back to it… even if it means working with old friends again. Scorsese may think he has the magic touch to convince Pesci otherwise, but if he doesn't want to do it, he's not going to do it… regardless of how badly they and us might want him to be in the picture.
The re-assembly of Scorsese, De Niro and Pesci has easily been the big selling point of THE IRISHMAN as it's been developed the last couple of years… but you can't always get what you want. Sometimes you just might find, you get Al Pacino instead.