It has been confirmed that “The Irishman” the new mob film by director Martin Scorsese, has been acquired by Netflix.
News of the reported buyout has long been rumored to happen, and was facilitated towards the streaming service after the film’s Mexican financier, Gaston Pavlovich of Fabrica de Cine, fell out, according to Deadline’s unnamed sources. The offer to buy the film was at a reported USD105 million.
CNET said the buyout was Netflix’s strategy to gain more solid footing in the Oscar circuit after rival Amazon got nominations and won some of this year’s major awards for its original drama film “Manchester By The Sea.” “The Irishman” is based on a bestselling book "I Heard You Paint Houses" by Charles Brandt, which documents the colorful life of hitman Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran. So far, Netflix has scored awards in the documentary category courtesy of Ava DuVernay’s “The 13th.”
Entertainment Weekly said “The Irishman” will have Scorsese reunite with actor Robert De Niro, whom he had worked on many films, including the award-winning and career-defining “Taxi” and “Raging Bull.” De Niro is expected to play Sheeran, who had connections with the Bufalino family’s criminal dealings in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Sheeran also confessed to killing teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa in 1975 and admitted to having a hand in the assassination of the late former US president John F. Kennedy.
De Niro has since hinted his involvement on a Scorsese project, only if actor Joe Pesci will join them. Speaking at the 2016 Guys Choice Awards, he said, “Marty and I are planning to get back together for a movie I think will be a future ‘Guy Hall of Fame’ entry, that is if Joe has any more f—s left in him. So far all he keeps saying is ‘Go f— yourself.’”
