Scorsese Will Direct Sinatra Biopic
After eight…count ‘em, EIGHT…years in negotiations, all parties have finally reached the agreeements that will allow a major film of the life of Frank Sinatra to be made. Apparently, the clincher was that Universal Pictures has assigned Martin Scorsese to direct.
Scorsese seems like an excellent choice. He’s good at historical films, such as the Gangs of New York, and Sinatra’s life spanned most of the 20th century. He is Italian-American and has portrayed Italian-Americans at their best and worst, such as in Goodfellas. He can really get inside people, into their conflicts and darkness, such as in Cape Fear.
And, between the Sinatra family and Warner Music, who co-own the rights to Sinatra’s estate, Scorsese seems to be the one person everyone trusts to do this right.
The big question right now seems to be who will play Sinatra. Harry Connick, Jr, is a name that comes up with some frequency, but I think he’d be a better Dean Martin. The most recent rumor I heard was that Universal is pushing for Johnny Depp to do it. Others are saying that Scorsese wants Leonardo DiCaprio, an actor he works well with, is himself Italian-American, and has worked with Scorsese on his last 4 films.
Both of those men are great actors. I think they could pull it off. We know that Depp can sing–he learned to sing for Sweeney Todd–but that won’t really matter, since all the singing will be takn from Sinatra’s recordings.
I don’tknow. I don’t see it being a big name like that. With Scorsese helming this, they don’t need any more star power. I think they’ll do what they did with Chris Pine in Star Trek…take a B-level actor who just needs that one big shot, and give it to him.
Hey, what about Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock? I can totally see it!
