Martin Scorsese planning Hawaiian crime drama

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In what could be the hottest Hawaii-related project since Hawaii 5-0, Martin Scorsese is pitching a Hawaii-related crime drama that would being together some of Hollywood's biggest stars.

EXCLUSIVE: The hot package in town is a pitch for a Martin Scorsese-directed untitled drama that would star Dwayne Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Emily Blunt.

The thumbnail description: Imagine Robert De Niro’s Jimmy the Gent character from Goodfellas, but as a ruthless Hawaiian crime boss, based on a real figure, who battled encroaching rivals for control of organized crime in Hawaii.

To be written by Nick Bilton, the film focuses on a turbulent time on the island paradise when an aspiring mob boss battled rival crime factions to wrest control of the underworld of the Hawaiian islands. It was a bloody battle, the kind of terrain Scorsese covered in both Goodfellas and The Departed. In 1960s and 70s Hawaii, this formidable and charismatic mob boss rises to build the islands’ most powerful criminal empire, waging a brutal war against mainland corporations and rival syndicates while fighting to preserve his ancestral land. It’s based on the untold true story of a man who fought to preserve his homeland through a ruthless quest for absolute power — igniting the last great American mob saga, where the war for cultural survival takes place in the unlikeliest of places: paradise.
While it's far from certain that Scorsese will have the time to direct this - in addition to several other projects he is reportedly working on - remains to be seen. But surely the prospect of spending some months in Hawaii is hopefully going to impact his decision.



You had me at Scorsese.

You lost me at The Rock.

Anyway, we’ll see when Safdie’s The Smashing Machine comes out, if he’s actually capable of proper acting and proper drama. But for now all I’m expecting is a The Rock playing The Rock movie with The Rock’s hand up Scorsese’s bum so he can get the movie made to his needs.

Of course one thinks that someone like Scorsese wouldn’t allow that and that The Rock hopefully isn’t dumb enough to try and correct and control a master like Scorsese…



You had me at Scorsese.

You lost me at The Rock.
They could always do an "Executive Decision" and kill him off in the first 15 minutes?



Looks like The Rock is an author now!

I mean, this book isn't just going to be ghostwritten, right?


The actor Dwayne Johnson, who began his career as wrestler The Rock, is to co-author a nonfiction book about a Hawaii crime syndicate in the 1960s and 1970s.

Writing on Instagram, Johnson said he was “super grateful to co-author my next project (a nonfiction book) with award-winning investigative journalist, @NickBilton.

“Nick and I have worked on this for months now, with many more months of work ahead of us – this has already been such an unbelievable, inspiring and eye-opening experience.”

Crown, the Penguin House imprint, has acquired rights to the as yet untitled book, which will “serve as an inspiration” for a film directed by Martin Scorsese, which is being scripted by Bilton and Johnson. Johnson will co-star with his Jungle Cruise collaborator Emily Blunt, as well as Leonardo DiCaprio.