Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese is said to be reviving his plans to film a biopic of iconic crooner Frank Sinatra – with longtime actor collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio cast as the lead.
However, this casting announcement – alongside suggestions that Jennifer Lawrence could be playing Sinatra’s second wife, film actress Ava Gardner – has not gone down well with fans.
Oscar-winning director Scorsese, 81, previously attempted to pursue making a movie about the life of one of America’s most popular singers of all time back in 2009, but eventually exited the project eight years later after failing to win over Sinatra’s estate.
At the time, his picks were Al Pacino and Robert De Niro to portray their fellow Italian-American icons, Sinatra and his Rat Pack colleague Dean Martin.
Fifteen years later and DiCaprio – who Scorsese’s worked with on films including Gangs of New York and 2023’s Oscar-nominated success Killers of the Flower Moon – and Lawrence’s names do not appear to be hitting the spot.
The pair previously starred together in satirical comedy Don’t Look Up for Netflix, alongside Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett and Timothée Chalamet.
‘Oh god, please no. Leo’s a great actor but Frank Sinatra he ain’t,’ posted @TrigHappyTV about the news on X, while @DeetsJacque commented: ‘I’m sorry Marty but in no universe am I going to believe DiCaprio as FRANK SINATRA or J Law as Ava Gardner.’
‘Someone should tell Scorsese to audition or consider other actors. He has an obsession with DiCaprio,’ complained Al Mere Yiheyis.
‘I’m not really convinced by the casting, I don’t see much similarities between Leo-Jennifer and Frank-Ava,’ added fan Elena, and @RM4Justice stated: ‘Nope. Sinatra is such a seminal figure and Scorsese such a top-flight director that they could go with lesser-known actors who have more of the aura of both Frank and Ava.’
Others were also aware of the rather important facet for anyone looking to play a version of the My Way hitmaker on screen.
‘Oh god, Leo could never be old blue eyes… does Leo even sing??’ asked @JTS610.
Other names were put forward instead by fans, including Family Guy star Seth MacFarlane – who has proved he has the pipes – and actor Dane DeHaan and Mad Men star Vincent Kartheiser.
@CidRaines1 begged: ‘Please leave Frank Sinatra alone.’
Others were more positive about the choices though, with Rachael Pelligrini insisting: ‘They’ll be amazing in Scorsese’s hands. Probably going to sweep the Oscars.’
‘If anyone can pull it off, Leo can,’ shared Leo Bonner, while @MandyGerseygal commented: ‘Both are great actors and Scorsese is a genius… They will need the best makeup artist in the business…It will be epic…’
It’s now been reported that Scorsese plans to shoot the Sinatra movie directly after a film about Jesus, adapted from Japanese writer Shūsaku Endō’s 1973 novel, which he will finance independently.
According to Variety, there are multiple studios interested in working with Scorsese on the Frank Sinatra biopic, but Sony is believed to be the front-runner.
However, the publication claimed that Tina Sinatra’s approval is yet to be secured again, the singer’s daughter who controls her father’s music and image rights.
Gardner is the woman who ended Sinatra’s marriage to her and her siblings Nancy and Frank Jr’s mother, Nancy Barbato.
When Scorsese initially gave up on the project the first time around in 2017, he told the Toronto Sun of failing to get the rights holders to agree to his vision: ‘Certain things are very difficult for a family, and I totally understand. But, if they expect me to be doing it, they can’t hold back certain things.
‘The problem is that the man was so complex. Everybody is so complex – but Sinatra in particular.’
The world-renown singer, who was also an Oscar-winning actor who appeared in films including From Here to Eternity, Guys and Dolls and Ocean’s 11, is estimated to have sold over 150million records globally.
Some of his most famous recordings include New York, New York, Strangers in the Night, That’s Life, Come Fly with Me and Fly Me to the Moon.
Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence for comment.
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