Martin Scorsese makes statement on retirement plans after two films are postponed

‘I still have more films to make,’ the filmmaker said

Martin Scorsese has reassured fans about the rest of his career, stating that he has “more films to make” amid rumours he was considering retirement.

During a press conference in Italy ahead of an award ceremony in Turin, the 81-year-old director quashed any news that he is imminently intending to retire.

The Goodfellas and Wolf of Wall Street creator is currently said to be working on a biopic of Frank Sinatra and an adaptation of Shūsaku Endō’s 1973 novel A Life of Jesus. However, Variety reported in September that both films have been placed on hold with no filming date yet announced.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Scorsese responded to the rumours, saying: “I’m not saying goodbye to cinema at all … I still have more films to make, and I hope God gives me the strength to make them.”

Scorsese also confirmed one project that he’s currently working on, a documentary called Shipwrecks of Sicily. He said: “I’m filming between Ustica and Taormina. It’s a documentary about marine archaeology.” He added: “I saw an amphora [an ancient Greek or Roman jar] pulled from the sea, and it moved me deeply.”

He’s working on the film with British underwater archaeologist Lisa Briggs, who uses DNA of items recovered from ancient sites where ships sank to reconstruct their stories.

As of April, two actors were reportedly in contention to play Jesus in the biblical epic, with Andrew Garfield and Miles Teller being lined up to play the role, in what would be a fictional retelling of the religious figure’s life.

Scorsese’s Sinatra movie has reportedly been in the works since 2009, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence said to be in line to star. However, Variety has suggested that Sinatra’s estate has yet to approve the production.

Martin Scorsese (Invision)

Elsewhere, Scorsese has been in the spotlight after The Sopranos creator, David Chase, revealed why the director didn’t like his widely celebrated gangster show.

Chase is the subject of a new two-part documentary directed by Alex Gibney, which shows the writer and director reflecting on the series by sharing insights into its creation, casting and classic scenes.

In the first episode of the series, which aired on HBO on 7 September, Chase talked about filming the show in New Jersey, which he said was crucial to the show’s success.

“I forbade any exteriors to be shot in any place but New Jersey because I wanted it to be realistic. I knew New Jersey really well. For example, in [season one episode] “Meadowlands”, the combination of really heavy industry and the largest urban wilderness in the world.”

However, it’s because of this that Chase claimed Scorsese wasn’t a fan of The Sopranos. He told Gibney: “Marty Scorsese doesn’t like the show. He said, ‘I don’t get it – it’s like all these trees and s***.”