Apple has done it once again. After signing Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way production company to a new deal, Apple has locked up the actor’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” director, Martin Scorsese, for a similar deal.
According to Deadline, Scorsese’s production company, Sikelia Productions, has signed a multi-year deal to produce and direct new projects for Apple. This, of course, comes on the heels of the news that the tech company will release the new film from Scorsese, the aforementioned “Killers of the Flower Moon,” in a massive deal that is reportedly worth more than $160 million. Apparently, Scorsese knows that Apple is willing to spend the big bucks on his projects and is ready to make the relationship official.
Production on that film is said to begin soon with filming expected to kick off (hopefully) in February. ‘Flower Moon’ is just the first project of the new deal, but obviously, film fans will be interested to see what’s next for Scorsese. As mentioned, the director has found it increasingly more difficult over the years to find a studio willing to cut blockbuster-sized checks for his R-rated adult dramas, with the filmmaker having to lean more on streaming services to get the deals done. But with this Apple deal, perhaps the filmmaker can stress more about getting projects made and less about which company will fund it.
Obviously, the project is more than just Scorsese films. The filmmaker also has had some success on the small screen with HBO projects such as “Boardwalk Empire” and the short-lived “Vinyl.” It’ll be interesting to see what new TV projects that will be developed for Apple TV+, which needs a monster hit soon to compete with the various other digital platforms that are fighting for subscribers.
And with production on ‘Flower Moon’ expected in February, perhaps we can see a new Scorsese film as early as late-2021? Here’s hoping!