The town's hottest ticket in town is an enticing pitch for an untitled Martin Scorsese-directed drama, boasting a stellar cast comprising Dwayne Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Emily Blunt. Imagine a riveting thumbnail sketch: Robert De Niro's iconic Jimmy the Gent from "Goodfellas," but reimagined as a ruthless Hawaiian crime lord, inspired by a real-life figure who fiercely battled encroaching rivals for dominance in Hawaii's organized crime scene.
Penned by Nick Bilton, this film delves into the turbulent era of the island paradise, where an ambitious mob boss engaged in a bloody struggle against rival crime factions to seize control of Hawaii's underworld. It promises the same gritty terrain that Scorsese masterfully navigated in "Goodfellas" and "The Departed." Set in 1960s and 1970s Hawaii, this formidable and magnetic mob boss emerges to establish the islands' most formidable criminal empire, waging a brutal war against mainland corporations and rival syndicates, all while fiercely fighting to protect his ancestral land. Based on the little-known true story of a man who relentlessly pursued absolute power to safeguard his homeland, this film ignites the final great American mob saga, where the war for cultural survival unfolds in the most unlikely setting: paradise.
Produced by an all-star lineup including Scorsese, Johnson, Blunt, DiCaprio, Bilton, Dany Garcia, Lisa Frechette, and Rick Yorn, this venture marks another historic collaboration between DiCaprio and Scorsese, who recently teamed up for the Best Picture nominee "Killers of Flower Moon," adding to their storied highlights such as "The Aviator," "The Departed," "Gangs of New York," and "The Wolf of Wall Street." It also serves as a reunion for Blunt and Johnson, who previously worked together on Disney's "Jungle Cruise." For Johnson, who has deep roots in Hawaii and has long harbored dreams of making a movie there, this represents a particularly significant opportunity. He has even toyed with the idea of a film about King Kamehameha, who, in a vastly different manner, used his strength and persuasiveness to unite the islands and improve their dealings with the explorers arriving on their shores.
Johnson and Blunt are also paired up for Benny Safdi's "Smashing Machine," directed for A24 and set for release later this year. It was Blunt and Johnson who introduced the idea to Scorsese and DiCaprio, who subsequently enlisted Bilton to begin writing once the project is finalized. Despite these key players being involved in other endeavors, the town has swiftly embraced this pitch, with multiple bids either on the table or rapidly materializing. This is shaping up to be a major motion picture. Stay tuned for more updates.
