Scorsese and De Niro Reteaming

June 19, 2007 - After Robert De Niro reteams with his HEAT and GODFATHER co-star Al Pacino for RIGHTEOUS KILL, he will reunite with Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese for the ninth time for the crime pic FRANKIE MACHINE.

The adaptation of Don Winslow's novel The Winter of Frankie Machine will be produced by De Niro's Tribeca shingle. DeadlineHollywoodDaily.com reports, "Scorsese is set to direct it for Paramount under his deal there."

The site adds that the title has been shortened to just FRANKIE MACHINE, and that it is expected to be Scorsese's next film following his Rolling Stones project.

Brian Koppelman and David Levien (OCEAN'S THIRTEEN) penned the screenplay adaptation. Don Winslow's official site had the following plot synopsis:

"Frank Machianno, aka Frankie Machine, retires from his life as a contract killer and begins a new life in San Diego. Far removed from any of the thrills of his mob life, he opens a bait shack on Ocean Beach Pier, runs three other legit businesses, and when nothing else demands his attention, puts his board in the water and rides the waves. Not a bad life for the 62-year-old Vietnam vet; at least most of the time it is quiet. Frankie's life however returns to the tension, suspense and terror of the 'old-days' when the head of the Los Angeles syndicate calls in a marker, and asks him for backup during a meeting with members of the Detroit mob. The meeting is suppose to be an effort to resolve the current disputes between the two groups, but turns out to be a setup to end Frankie's life."

Source: IGN

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This will be the first time they've worked together on a film since 1995's CASINO

Awesome!!!I cant wait for this one.It sounds like a pretty good movie that would compliment both their skills as Actor and director.

You mean, in that it's yet another gangster flick...

yeah exactly

Sounds pretty damn good

I assume De Niro's playing the title character?

(It wouldn't surprise me if he isn't.)

Interesting. I hope this is a little bit more in touch with Scorsese's style or roots than The Departed was, though.

Yeah i didnt think the Departed was anything special.

I liked it, but there were a few parts where I felt overtones of big budget, over-the-top, thrill-seeking Hollywood.

I suppose his last few efforts have been a bit like that. I think part of that is the age of digital video. I think Scorsese's always found a very distinct niche in film. That is, actual film, not film as in cinema. Now that everyone is using digital, every picture sort of looks the same... I don't know.

But, I felt that a lot of the scenes at the State Police office were very bland-mainstream-Hollywood. I kind of felt like I had seen those scenes time and time again, mostly in Danny Glover films.

I've read the novel. It's in the satirical crime drama format, much like Elmore Leonard's books (Get Shorty, Out of Sight, etc...), very few directors can make that work. I'm sure Marty will be up for the challenge.

From what I've read, yes, he'll play the lead character. Why it isn't part of this article, I don't know.

You know, as much as I'm happy that DeNiro/Scorsese are working together again...

THE LONG PLAY is a Scorsese picture that is so much more interesting to me. I mean an epic drama about two men across the music industry in Hollywood from the 1950s into 1990s, and you all know that Scorsese was a nerd for music way before he found cinema.

As for FRANKIE MACHINE, its like THE DEPARTED, its Scorsese going into a more commercial period of his career.

This is great news cant wait for this movie

Me, too--sign me up for opening day!

I don't know how true this is but figured I'd post it anyway. Consider me pissed if it's true

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Frankie Machine broken?

Just a couple of months after we heard Robert DeNiro and Martin Scorsese would reunite for another gangster movie, it sounds like the project is ready to join Luca Brasi. What a pisser.

The Scorsese/DeNiro duo were reportedly planning to hook up for FRANKIE MACHINE, and adaptation of Don Winslow's novel about a retired mob hitman who gets drawn back into the bad business. But according to Collider, Scorsese has vacated the director's chair for reasons unknown. One can speculate, however, that it may be due to the time-crunch of upcoming talent strikes, and the fact that Marty already has a half-dozen projects on his plate.

OCEAN'S 13 writers Brian Koppelman and David Levien adapted the book for DeNiro. The fate of the movie now remains unknown -- DeNiro also has a pretty full plate, rejoining with Al Pacino for RIGHTEOUS KILL, making a movie with Jodie Foster, and possibly doing another useless FOCKERS sequel.

Source: JoBlo

Boy, that sucks, I really wanted this movie to get made.

I've read the book, and the good news is that it's not a typical NY mob book. It's actually set in laid back San Diego. I was envisioning more of a chase movie than a mob movie, anyway. My point being, it may not require Marty's input.

Hopefully, DeNiro will still do it with or without Marty. It'll be awhile, though. It appears that production on LITTLE FOCKERS (I'm not kidding about the title, look it up) is set for right after Christmas. So far, they're all on board except Streisand, but it's not like you have to beg her to come out of retirement.

Scorsese leaving DeNiro behind isn't anything new folks.

(1) DeNiro as star/producer tried and failed to score Marty to helm ANALYZE THIS. Why he didn't do it? Remember, its the same Marty that physically threatened Jonathan Demme after seeing MARRIED TO THE MOB.
(2) DeNiro as producer tried to recruit Marty to shoot his RENT Broadway musical adaptation. Marty wanted a better script, and that didn't happen.

As for Streisand, she just wants more money/ gross points (since such a junk movie would make a killing in the Christmas season).