Disney Reportedly Wins Bidding War For Scorsese Gangster Movie That Unites DiCaprio, Emily Blunt & The Rock

Disney has reportedly won the bidding war for Martin Scorsese‘s upcoming gangster movie. Set in Hawaii, the film is set to feature A-list stars including Emily Blunt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The project has previously been described as a riff on Goodfellas, which will see Johnson play a “ruthless Hawaiian crime boss.” The character is based on a real-life person, reportedly Wilford “Nappy” Pulawa, and is set in the ’60s and ’70s.

Per ᴅᴇᴀᴅline‘s initial report, with The Hollywood Reporter providing additional details, Disney has seemingly won the bidding war for the Scorsese movie. Specifically, Disney’s 20th Century Studios division will produce the project. The full details about whom the studio was competing against in this bid were not revealed, but THR noted that the unтιтled Scorsese film managed to avoid landing on a streaming platform.

What This Means For Martin Scorsese’s Film

This Is His Second Recent Project To Be Pegged By 20th Century Studios

The Devil in the White City book cover by Erik Larson

This marks the second upcoming Scorsese project to be tapped by 20th Century Studios. The Disney subsidiary also nabbed The Devil in the White City, an Erik Larson book adaptation also set to star DiCaprio. This will create an active working relationship between Scorsese, DiCaprio, and 20th Century that has the potential to greatly benefit both projects. The studio’s acquisition of The Devil in the White City also likely helped them win the gangster project.

The closure of the bidding war is also a generally good sign of the movie’s progress. While the film still lacks a тιтle and release date, the strong studio backing is the first step in moving forward on the project. Scorsese does have two projects in the works, so it will be interesting to see what Disney and 20th Century end up prioritizing in the production process. But for now, any forward progress is good news for the work that is still very much in the development phase.

Our Take 20th Century Getting This Martin Scorsese Film

He Has Worked With The Group Once Before

Sandra Bernhard as Masha The King of Comedy (1982)

This deal will be an exciting return for Scorsese. The director worked with 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) on his 1982 film The King of Comedy. Over 40 years and a dozen Scorsese films have pᴀssed since the release, giving the director a fresh chance to work with the studio. The movie’s plot remains incredibly intriguing, and with a strong cast and studio involved, the movie is bound to be a success.

Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline and THR