Scorsese and De Niro to reunite for The Irishman

IT has been the subject of almost as many rumours as one of its key character’s demise, but film legends Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro may finally be set to start shooting gangster movie, The Irishman.

Speaking at the weekend, the stars — who have worked together on hits such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas — confirmed the cast list is largely complete.

The first scenes of the film could potentially be shot towards the end of this year with a release date of late 2012 or early 2013, De Niro has confirmed, with the likes of Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel all set for roles.

Other Scorsese favourites who will be involved in the project include Steven Zaillian, the scriptwriter for Gangs of New York (2002), who has been tasked with writing the screenplay.

“This movie is about a guy who confessed that he killed Hoffa and also Joe Gallo over here on Hester Street. I’m going to play that character,” De Niro confirmed.

Based on the book I Heard You Paint Houses, by author and former Delaware deputy attorney general, Charles Brandt, the highly anticipated movie will depict the life of World War II veteran turned union man and mob hitman, Frank ‘the Irishman’ Sheeran.

Irish-American Sheeran, who passed away in 2003, was the chief suspect in the murder of corrupt US union leader Jimmy Hoffa, who is believed by some to have been buried under the Giants Stadium in New Jersey.

He is also widely thought to have been responsible for the 1972 murder of Joe Gallo, who was responsible for one of New York’s bloodiest Italian-American gang wars of the 20th century.

The mobster also claimed to have had “intimate knowledge” of the assassination of US president John F Kennedy in Dallas in November 1963.

Sheeran claimed the murder was ordered by Hoffa in retaliation for pressure placed on him by the president’s brother Bobby Kennedy, who at the time was US attorney general.

Scorsese first suggested the project in 2008.