Without a doubt, one of the biggest releases of 2019 is Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.” Even without discussing the content of the film, or the cast and crew behind it, the upcoming crime drama has all sorts of interest stemming from its release strategy with Netflix and its incredibly long post-production process. That being said, for many film fans, the driving factor behind the hype of “The Irishman” comes from the pairing of Robert De Niro and filmmaker Scorsese.
And speaking at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival (naturally), De Niro and Scorsese opened up about “The Irishman” and why they’re excited for the world to see what they’ve been working on. But for those expecting another film in the same vein as the classic De Niro/Scorsese crime dramas, you may be a little disappointed. Sure, there are themes that are being covered that might seem familiar, but “The Irishman” takes a different approach than previous films from the duo.
“It’s a world that’s been romanticized since [‘Mean Streets’],” said the filmmaker (via Deadline). “Even in our new film [‘The Irishman’], the nature of who these people are, are not necessarily from the trappings around them, but who the people are.”
During the discussion, “The Irishman” star Robert De Niro talks about the origins of the project, and how he presented it to Scorsese, while they were on the verge of doing something else, entirely.
“I said Marty, read this, see what you think. We were about to do something else and we went into ‘The Irishman,’” said De Niro.
Scorsese added, “I think, profoundly, you felt the heart of this character, this situation, and it’s universal. It happens to be set in this world.”
The excitement that surrounds the upcoming Netflix film isn’t so much about the buzz about the plot or anything, but mainly because it sees the filmmaker and the actor team up yet again, in a film that is firmly in the genre that film fans love seeing the duo play around in. That being said, Scorsese hopes that “The Irishman” isn’t going to be just another crime drama.
“It’s in the milieu of the pictures we’ve done together, and that we’re known for, and I think, I hope, it’s from a different vantage point. When years go by, you see things in a special way,” said the director.
“The Irishman” is expected to hit theaters and Netflix sometime this fall.