Al Pacino to play Frank Sinatra in biopic

Martin Scorsese says Robert De Niro should be Dean Martin

Al Pacino will play Frank Sinatra in a biopic of the legendary crooner’s life – at least if director Martin Scorsese has anything to say about it.

Speculation has circled around who would play the Rat Pack star, known for his gangster connections as much for his singing talent, with The Observer suggesting in October it was a three-way battle between George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Johnny Depp.

Yet speaking to Indian newspaper The Hindu, Scorsese has earmarked Al Pacino as his Sinatra of choice.

“I’m yet to spot the actor who can bring back Frank Sinatra alive on screen,” he said. Yet added: “My choice is Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro as Dean Martin.”

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In March Scorsese told Shortlist that he was still working on the screenplay for the film, but added that it would focus on several periods of Sinatra‘s life, suggesting he would be played by more than one actor.

He said: “We can’t go through the greatest hits of Sinatra‘s life. We tried this already. Just can’t do it. So the other way to go is to have three or four different Sinatras. Younger. Older. Middle-aged. Very old. You cut back and forth in time – and you do it through the music. See what I’m saying? So that’s what we’re trying for. It’s very tricky.”

There could still be significant problems in bringing the project to the screen, however, with any biopic reliant on gaining the music rights, currently held by producer Tina Sinatra, Frank‘s daughter.

She is said to be keen on a “softer” film that doesn’t focus on the darker aspects of Frank’s life, and is said to want Clooney for the role.

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