The Irishman, Martin Scorsese’s long-awaited mob drama has finally arrived. It took years of development and false starts, but it was a partnership with Netflix that made it all happen. Now, after more delays so Scorsese could perfect the de-aging VFX technology for star Robert De Niro, the first trailer is here and it’s everything we’d want from the director of Goodfellas.
De Niro stars as infamous hitman Frank Sheeran, his true story a big part of mob history. Alongside him are other giants of the mafia movie genre: Al Pacino as Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa, and Joe Pesci who came out of retirement to play crime boss Russell Bufalino. Also on board is a stacked supporting cast that includes Anna Paquin as Peggy Sheeran, Harvey Keitel as Angelo Bruno, and Ray Romano as Bill Bufalino, plus Bobby Cannavale, Stephen Graham, Stephanie Kurtzuba, Jack Huston, Kathrine Narducci, Jesse Plemons, Domenick Lombardozzi, Paul Herman, Gary Basaraba and Marin Ireland.
The VFX tech used to de-age De Niro, Pesci, and Pacino to play their characters across many years is still being perfected, but the teaser ends on a solid look at a much younger De Niro.
The expectations for this are through the roof, not just for audiences but for Netflix. The production reportedly cost $160M, Scorsese’s highest by far, and so there will be a theatrical component to the release this fall, before eventually hitting the streaming service. The Irishman will have its world premiere as the opening night film at the New York Film Festival.
