Of all the films coming out this year, the one which I'm looking forward to the most is THE IRISHMAN. You've got Martin Scorsese directing a decades-spanning crime saga starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, and many more; I'm already onboard. THE IRISHMAN has received widespread acclaim, but there was a time when Martin Scorsese didn't believe that the film would actually happen.
While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Scorsese said that it took him more than a decade to secure financing for the project. "People just weren’t interested in financing it—and that was before the CGI," Scorsese said. "Nobody would give us the money. But I really felt that De Niro and I had one more picture to make, at least, and he was really connected with the character." Netflix wound up coming to the rescue by coughing up the dough for the expensive project, which makes use of digital de-aging to peel back the years on its main characters. Entertainment Weekly also released a new photo from THE IRISHMAN, which features Frank Sheeran (De Niro) sitting down with mob boss Russell Bufalino (Pesci).
THE IRISHMAN also gives us the Robert De Niro/Al Pacino collaboration we've wanted for years. Although the pair have worked together before on THE GODFATHER PART II (where they never shared a scene) and HEAT (where their interactions were all too brief), the only film where they've actually shared any substantial screen-time was the critically panned RIGHTEOUS KILL. Finally getting to properly share the screen was something of a treat, as Al Pacino said, "These [characters] really like each other, and that was something for us to play off—we feel that way about each other." Surprisingly, THE IRISHMAN is also Pacino's first time working with Martin Scorsese.
Marty has a very quiet set and that’s part of what he demands. I’ve never met a director who is so suited to the profession and so natural in that environment. It’s comforting.
Although it certainly sounds like THE IRISHMAN could serve as the swan song to Scorsese and De Niro's long collaboration in the genre of crime movies, both seem open to another film. "I'm open to it," De Niro said. "There are great stories out there. Who knows? Never say never." Scorsese added, "As a filmmaker, what else can you learn about yourself and this subject matter with these characters in this world? You may find that you’ve done it. I hope to explore a little more, if I have time."
THE IRISHMAN will enjoy a limited theatrical release on November 1, 2019 before finally hitting Netflix on November 27, 2019.