Scorsese to Direct Sinatra Biopic

Film set to go ahead after much wrangling with Ol' Blue Eyes' estate
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted May 14, 2009 1:57 AM CDT
Scorsese to Direct Sinatra Biopic
Frank Sinatra performs at Radio City Music Hall in New York in 1992. Sinatra died 11 years ago today.   (AP Photo/Susan Ragan, file)

Having tackled the lives of Jake la Motta, Jesus, and Howard Hughes, Martin Scorsese is now set to direct a biopic of Frank Sinatra. Scorsese's agreement to take on the Universal Pictures project helped win support from the Sinatra family after much wrangling, say insiders. The film will be based on a movie treatment of the crooner's life from Field of Dreams screenwriter Phil Alden Robinson.

Issues with Sinatra's family were ones of "comfort and trust," co-producer Cathy Schulman told the Hollywood Reporter. "Everybody who was in control of the rights had to unanimously agree to do this. And having Marty at the head of this was the thing that ultimately cracked the code." (More Frank Sinatra stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X