That Netflix has given itself an exclusive gift in the form of Martin Scorsese’s upcoming mafia movie the Irishman— which tells of the disappearance of infamous union leader Jimmy Hoffa — was surprising when it was announced in February. That it might not just star longtime Scorsese colleagues Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci—who, save for a few cameos, retired in 1999—was even more astonishing.
According to a report by DeadlineNot only has DeNiro and Pesci been confirmed to star in the film, but Scorsese has also landed Al Pacino, whose roles in films such as Scarface and the godfather have made him a legend of the crime genre. the Irishman not only the first time Pacino has worked with Scorsese, but also the first time all three actors have starred in a movie together.
Pesci’s involvement, Deadline noted, comes after months of refusals from the actor – who will now play Russell Bufalino, a mob boss long suspected of being involved in Hoffa’s disappearance. Pesci previously starred in three Scorsese films: Raging Bull, Goodfellasand Casino. De Niro has been linked to play the infamous hit man Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, while Pacino is expected to take the lead role of Jimmy Hoffa. Roles are also reportedly being offered by Harvey Keitel and Bobby Cannavale.
the Irishmanwhich is based on Sheeran’s deathbed confessions in the book I’ve heard you paint houses, has been in pre-production for some time. Scorsese originally started talking about the film in 2010, but lost support from Hollywood studio Paramount after the disappointing commercial performance of the intense historical drama. Silence. Netflix acquired the rights in February for an undisclosed amount of money.
Gaston Pavlovich, named as one of the producers of the Irishmanhinted that CGI could be used to digitally age Pesci, De Niro, and Pacino for certain scenes, all of which are now over 70.
“We’ve seen some tests and it looks extraordinary,” Pavlovich told Cinemablend. “We were able to film Bob and just do a scene, and we saw it coming when he was 20, 40, 60, so we’re looking forward to it from that point of view because the Irishman…Imagine seeing what De Niro looked like in The Godfather 2 days, that’s about how you’re going to see him again.”
Filming on the Irishman begins in July in New York and lasts through December. While the film will be distributed to Netflix subscribers, a limited theatrical release is expected to make it eligible for Oscar nominations.