Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese to reunite for Frank Sinatra biopic

Filmmaker Martin Scorsese is reportedly reviving his dream project - a biopic on legendary artist Frank Sinatra. The project had been in cold storage for some time and Scorsese has reportedly decided to revive it with frequent collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio who will play the lead role in the film. Scorsese's last film The Killers of Flower Moon also featured Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead. 

According to a report in Variety, Scorsese is planning to start filming a Sinatra project directly after completing shooting on his latest film about Jesus, adapted from a book by Japanese writer Shūsaku Endō. 

DiCaprio is set to play Sinatra and Jennifer Lawrence will be cast as Ava Gardner, who was married to the singer between 1951 and 1957. However, the report states that Scorsese has not yet secured the approval of Sinatra’s daughter Tina, who controls her father’s music and image rights.

This isn't the first time that Scorsese has attempted to make a film on Sinatra's life. He had earlier announced a production in 2009 which had the backing of Universal Studio. DiCaprio was rumoured to play the lead back then. 

The director then told the media in 2010 that he planned to cast Al Pacino and Robert De Niro as Sinatra and Dean Martin. Scorsese also outlined his vision for the film, which would have involved several actors playing the lead role. “We can’t go through the greatest hits of Sinatra’s life. We tried this already. Just can’t do it. So the other way to go is to have three or four different Sinatras. Younger. Older. Middle-aged. Very old. You cut back and forth in time – and you do it through the music.”

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However, it was reported that Tina Sinatra was not happy with Scorsese’s approach, especially his plan for a “hard-hitting” biography that would include the singer’s connections with organised crime. “Marty wants it to be hard-hitting and showcase the violent, sexually charged, hard-drinking Frank, but Tina wants to show the softer side of her dad and let the focus be on the music,” said an unnamed source.

Years later in 2017, Scorsese said he had given up the idea stating that Sinatra's rights holders 'wont agree to it.'. 

“Certain things are very difficult for a family, and I totally understand. But, if they expect me to be doing it, they can’t hold back certain things. The problem is that the man was so complex. Everybody is so complex – but Sinatra in particular," he had said.