3/07/2011

De Niro sounds pretty confident that Scorsese's The Irishman will happen


Ok, so Robert De Niro's been a bit hit and miss lately. Probably more miss(Little Fockers, What Just Happened?) than hit(Machete, Stone). What we all can agree on though is that we all want to see the legendary actor hook up with his buddies again. And by his buddies I of course mean Martin Scorsese, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino. If there was a Breakfast Club for movie mobsters they'd all be in it. 

While doing press for his upcoming drug-based thriller, Limitless, De Niro spoke briefly about the next chance for seeing the band brought back together again in the long gestating mob drama, The Irishman. The Playlist has the quotes...

“Yeah, I’m planning on it, absolutely,” the iconic actor said about working with his directorial muse again. “Well, this time I’ll say it, I’ve said it before, its a movie based on a book called, ‘I Heard You Paint Houses,’ its about a guy who says, and I believe [the author of] the book—he’s passed away now—but he confessed that he killed [Jimmy] Hoffa and also Joe Gallo. And so I’m gonna play that character. Joe Pesci is gonna be in it, Al Pacino is gonna be in it and Marty’s going to direct it.”

I’m hoping it happens. We’re really working towards making it happen,” “Yeah, I mean I’d never say it if I never fully [meant it, if we weren’t] committed and stuff,” De Niro said.

To me that sounds like a confirmation.  At least that everybody involved wants to do the film, but it's hardly on firm ground. De Niro seems to be the one doing the bulk of the chatting about it. I don't know if that means anything or not. Scorsese is already busy enough finishing up his 3D film, Hugo Cabret, and he's already got Silence lined up after that. So it could be at least a couple of years before The Irishman ever sees the light of day.  Pesci doesn't really make movies anymore, so I'm guessing his schedule will be open.

The film would be based on Charles Brandt's 2004 book, I Heard You Paint Houses, based on over five years worth of interviews between Brandt and mob hitman Frank Sheeran. Through those discussions, Brandt thinks he was able to solve the long unsolved death and disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa.  Contrary to what De Niro said, Brandt is very much alive, but Sheeran passed away back in 2003.