Martin Scorsese Wants to Save His Frank Sinatra Film with Leonardo DiCaprio

By Ben Liew  •  19 Apr 2024 in Movies & TV

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Martin Scorsese is revisiting plans for his Sinatra saga once again, with his trusted collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio slated to step into the iconic crooner’s shoes.

Variety spilled the beans that Scorsese, who’s currently working on an adaptation of A Life of Jesus, is gearing up to bring Ol’ Blue Eyes back to the big screen. And who better to embody the swagger of Sinatra than DiCaprio himself? Meanwhile, Jennifer Lawrence is rumoured to sashay into the role of Ava Gardner, the actress who stole Sinatra’s heart back in the day.

But hold onto your fedoras! Before you start humming ‘Fly Me to the Moon’, there’s one last roadblock to Scorsese’s plans – Tina Sinatra, the gatekeeper of all things Frank, hasn’t given the green light just yet. The daughter of the legendary singer has control over his music and image rights.

This isn’t the first time Scorsese has tried to capture the essence of Sinatra on celluloid. Back in 2009, there was buzz about a Sinatra film, with DiCaprio already in the frame. Then the plot thickened in 2010 when Scorsese teased a Rat Pack reunion, with Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in the mix. But it seems Tina wasn’t too keen on Scorsese’s gritty portrayal, which would include Sinatra’s connection to the criminal underworld.

Cut to 2017, and Scorsese was singing a different tune, admitting defeat to the Toronto Sun. Seems the Sinatra clan wasn’t keen on airing all the dirty laundry, and who can blame ’em? Sinatra was a man of many shades, and capturing that complexity on screen is no easy feat.

“Marty wants it to be hard-hitting and showcase the violent, sexually charged, hard-drinking Frank, but Tina wants to show the softer side of her dad and let the focus be on the music,” said an unnamed source quoted by The Guardian.

So, will this latest Sinatra saga get the green light? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: With Scorsese at the helm and DiCaprio hitting all the right notes, it’s bound to be one helluva ride through the life and times of the Chairman of the Board.

If you’re a fan of nostalgic music, check out our deep dive of the first Raya song, recorded in 1936.