Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman will open this year’s New York Film Festival

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The New York Film Festival has chosen Martin Scorsese's THE IRISHMAN as its opening-night feature on September 27 at Alice Tully Hall. The long-gestating crime drama reunites Robert De Niro with Joe Pesci, who surprisingly have not starred in a film together since CASINO, Scorsese's 1995 crime thriller co-starring Sharon Stone, James Woods, Alan King, and Kevin Pollak. This will mark the first time that one of Scorsese's films is to serve as an NYFF opener.

Directed by Scorsese from a script penned by Stephen Zallian (MONEYBALL, SCHINDLER'S LIST), THE IRISHMAN is an adaptation of Charles Brandt's nonfiction novel I Heard You Paint Houses. According to Deadline's description, Scorsese's Netflix feature tells the sordid tale of Frank Sheeran, who admitted killing 25 men for the mob, including his friend, the Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. Pesci plays Pennsylvania mob boss Russell Bufalino (who according to Sheeran’s testimony ordered the hit). Al Pacino stars as Jimmy Hoffa, while De Niro is set to portray Sheeran.

Word has it that Netflix coughed up a pricey premium for the film to the tune of $125 million. Be that as it may, it's to be suspected that the movie will first go to theaters before arriving on the streaming network later this fall. If this time table sounds familiar, it's because Alfonso Cuarón’s  ROMA received the same treatment last year. By releasing the film in theaters first, it then became eligible for major awards consideration. In time, this proved to be a very smart move, as ROMA then went on to win three Oscars, including the ones for Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director and Best Cinematography.

“The Irishman is so many things: rich, funny, troubling, entertaining and, like all great movies, absolutely singular,” said New York Film Festival director and selection committee chair Kent Jones. “It’s the work of masters, made with a command of the art of cinema that I’ve seen very rarely in my lifetime, and it plays out at a level of subtlety and human intimacy that truly stunned me. All I can say is that the minute it was over my immediate reaction was that I wanted to watch it all over again.”

To which Scorsese said: “It’s an incredible honor that The Irishman has been selected as the Opening Night of the New York Film Festival. I greatly admire the bold and visionary selections that the festival presents to audiences year after year. The festival is critical to bringing awareness to cinema from around the world. I am grateful to have the opportunity to premiere my new picture in New York alongside my wonderful cast and crew.”

Are you excited to see De Niro and Pesci sharing the same screen, once again? Do you think they've still got that onscreen chemistry that made them such a dynamic duo all those years ago? Let us know in the comments section below.