Carl Icahn Now Wants ALL Of Lionsgate 
FINAL MGM BIDS DUE FRIDAY: So Who's In And … 
Action Comedy TV: Showrunner Matt Nix 
SAG National Board Approves Joint Bargaining … 
BBC Drama Unfreezes Development Money; … 
Lionsgate Board Rejects Icahn's $6/Share 
Is Betting On Box Office Good For Films? 
Marvel Still Looking For Captain America 
'Sopranos' Creator To Film Rock Drama 
LIVE-SNARKING THE 82ND OSCARS... 
'ALICE' IS A MONSTER! $116.3M Blows Past … 
Oscar Not-So-Thriller: Diller Mogul Picnic 
'Precious' Sweeps 25th Indie Spirit Awards 
Howard Stern Won't Be Next 'Idol' Judge 
Justin Theroux Readying 'Zoolander 2' For … 
UPDATE: Johnny Depp As Frank Sinatra?
EXCLUSIVE: He was an enigmatic legend, and it looks as if the picture that just came together will do that justice. I've just learned that Universal has acquired this project based on the life of Frank Sinatra from Mandalay Pictures. Phil Alden Robinson is writing the screenplay, and Marty Scorsese will direct as well as produce through his Sikelia Productions. The Sinatra family gave its permission, which is not easy to get, and youngest daughter Tina Sinatra will be an executive producer along with Robinson and Garry LeMel, the former president of Warner Bros music division and himself a musician. The producers will be Peter Guber and his movie exec Cathy Schulman. "This has been a passion project for Peter Guber for a long time, and first he got together with the Sinatra Estate, and then with Scorsese who's also a huge Sinatra fan," an insider tells me. That Scorsese might direct this film has been rumored for a year. In fact, Tina herself has told journalists in the past that she would "trust Scorsese implicitly" to "present the truth" about her father because he's also an Italian-American. No names of actors who might play Sinatra in the movie are circulating yet. Any suggestions?
Loading ...
I’ll be Sinatra… but knowing Scorcese it may be DiCaprio?
Leonardo DiCaprio is playing this part. It will focus on a younger Sinatra’s days in Jersey.
Sad, but true: I have it on 100% that Leonardo DiCaprio has been attached to this from the beginning, and Scorcese won’t make it without him.
Once upon a time, many years back when Marty was first taking about this, it was mentioned that he was looking at Tom Hanks (stacka Bibles, here) for Dean Martin.
robert downey, jr. definitely. buble’ maybe. rather have an actor who’s a good singer.
Shouldn’t we all just assume that Seth Rogen will get the part?
Where’s the script? Marty only has a few more in him…
I could see Tobey Maguire (Ron Meyer’s son in law) killing in this role, especially if it’s a “rise of Sinatra” story a la The Aviator.
With Tina Sinatra as one of the producers, you know there will be no mafia mentions.
John Hamm but you know it’s gonna be Leo
While not a quote, unquote star — but Harry Connick, Jr. is the first name that comes to mind. Just please, no Scorsese man love for Leonardo this time around.
Why not cast Toby Huss? He has the voice, the charisma, and even looks like him from the right angles.
I thought Vince Chase will be playing Sinatra
Scorsese doing a Sinatra film without mafia mention is highly unlikely.
Terrance Howard!
Antonio Sabato Jr.
If it’s Dicaprio, I won’t watch it! HIGHLY overrated. I’d go for Kevin Spacey. AND, he can sing. So they can have places where he’s singing at a piano or practicing and it’ll be authentic.
Sasha Baron Cohen. He would spice it up a notch! Yah!
Leave the gun, Take the canolli.
Marty is cool, it’s gonna be alright…
Depending upon which period of Francis Albert’s career they are going to focus on, (presumably the Capital years), the only real choice for the role is Russell Crowe. He has the same intensity Frank had, he can sing (although not anything like the Chairman could) and he is simply the best actor of his generation. There’s even a passing resemblance. Hopefully Scorcese doesn’t get someone like DiCaprio or God forbid — Tom Hanks (who was mentioned a long time ago for another Sinatra biopic). Sinatra is hands down the GREATEST performer of all time bar none (sorry Elvis fans), they need to get this right and it will all start and end with the casting. I vote Crowe.
Scorsese doing a Sinatra film without mafia mention is highly unlikely.
Sinatra’s daughter EP-ing Sinatra film with mafia mention is highly unlikely. Then again…
James Franco would be interesting…
Think about the VOICE, people. Leo ain’t got it. Harry Connick, Jr. has it, but may be too old. Marty doesn’t need a big name anyway – best to go with a talented unknown who can sing like the Chairman…
And WHAT exactly is wrong with Will Ferrell?
Oh! There will be mafia mention alright. They hung around him some, admired him, partied with him, but didn’t control him.
Thats probably close to the truth!
Mandalay = bomb.
You’re all wrong. It will be Will Smith as Frank Sinatra and it WILL involve an invasion of aliens from Jupiter whom Frank defeats by doing it “his way.”
What about Barack Obama?
Harry Connick Jr
If not Leo then… Paul Rudd has the looks and can sing. Jamie Foxx as Sammy Davis Jr. Vince Vaughn as Dean Martin.
Where and when may I audition to play the band leader so Luca Brazzi hold a gun to my head? I want to let yound Frankie out his contract.
Joe Piscopo
You beat Variety by an hour…again! They sent their eblast breaking news at 1:32pm.
Rock on!
Johnny Depp!!
No, no, no , not Di Caprio. Di Caprio is such an overrated bore. He does not have the juice for this. Enough with executives and directors casting from their man crushes. It doesn’t translate to box office.
This film needs an unknown.
Sinatra was not associated with the Mafia. He only worked in their casinos.He was one of the biggest contributors to Isreal and was forefront in race relations.He was, and is, a great humanatarian…
I think it should go to Kevin Spacey. Spacey is also a good singer (as he was in beyond the sea).
please not Hugh Jackman
Three words — Zac fuc**n Efron!
It’s gonna be a reverse Raging Bull for any actor. Sinatra young was very skinny.
If it’s diCaprio, I for one will NOT watch it. Many guys from work refuse to watch anything with diCaprio. He’s too effeminate, among other things. Sinatra was a guy’s guy, diCaprio isn’t.
I would be surprised if it’s not DiCaprio. Scorsese doesn’t like switching actors. Leo did a good job of disappearing into the role of Hughes, but I do get the idea that he might be distracting as Sinatra.
Then again, Sinatra is so iconic that we’d have the same problem with any well-known actor portraying him. I think an unknown would really be best.
Why not Tom Cruise?
DiCaprio doesn’t look the part.. best bet will be to get a nobody who is a talented actor / singer and cast him…
It can only be Michael Buble – he has the voice and same style as Frank.
Try not to forget that Sinatra was first and foremost “The Voice” and the odds of someone with acting chops having a comparable one are somewhere around a billion to zero.
Smarter to be trawling for a gifted actor with credibly similar features and then DUBBING HIM for the music numbers.
John Reese Myers – he did a good job with Elvis.
Curious to know what period of Sinatra’s life they’ll be focusing on. My guess would be Sinatra’s rise, his subsequent fall… injured his vocal chords, temptuous relationship with Ava Gardner, and his subsequent comeback with his role in “From Here to Eternity” and his brilliant work at Capitol Records. I can see Scorcese going with Leo, if he deals with the Rat pack Era at all, I’d like Don Cheadle as Sammy Davis Jr.
“Mafia? There is no mafia!”
-Frank Sinatra
The people who say DiCaprio are probably right…and that is a horrible thing. He has been Scorsese’s new Deniro for a while now.
i agree – Johnny Depp is a smashing choice!!
I think Chris Penn could have rocked this role.
What about Tim Robbins?
i bet Tim Meadows could do a good Sammy also
DiCaprio is too much a lightweight to pull off this role. But who knows? If it were my call– Gary Sinese.
Joaquin Phoenix if he’s in a right state of mind.
Bruce Greenwood should play the older Sinatra.
Casey Affleck
All I know is that if Dicaprio is the star of this I may just have to write off Scorsese for awhile. I like Tobey Maguire for this but wouldn’t mind seeing Ben Whishaw either.
Should get it– Connick Jr.
Will get it– Leo
will I go see it? Of course…
Oh please. Sinatra will be played by Cate Blanchett. Apparently she can play anyone. And hey, she’ll be more manly than Leo. Sinatra was too much of a man for Leo the man-child to play him.
Michael Buble
Years ago Tina Sinatra produced a network Sinatra mini-series that contained scenes of Frank working his Sam Giancana connection to help JFK win the election. I don’t think she’ll shy away from mob stuff.
I think the mention of Tom Hanks playing Dean Martin from this thread is incorrect. Hanks was mentioned to play Maritin a few years back in regards to a feature film version of Nick Tosches’ book DINO (with Scorcese involved there, as well), not a Sinatra biopic.
Kevin Spacey can sing, but he did Bobby Darin in “Beyond the Sea” not too long ago. Russell Crowe would have to be skinnier than he was in “Gladiator” and I am not sure he could do it. Hard to see him as a vocalist. Both are too old if they want to show Sinatra as a kid. It will be interesting to see how they handle the Mafia issues with Tina Sinatra involved. Scorsese will have to tread very carefully. Sinatra was a man of many parts – some attractive and some not so attractive. He did what he did better than anybody before or since and he is owed an honest portrayal revealing the bad with the good.
Chris Pine…at least until another blockbuster comes out. But for this week, it should be Chris Pine.
Why not dig up Mr Sinatra and just move his mouth. Kinda like Weekend at Bernie’s
Steve Levinson is leaning on Scorsese to cast Wahlberg.
Getting an established star would reduce the impact of the picture. It must be an unknow, slight, and somewhat naive. The focus must be on the voice as the story and star are secondary that would disrupt the story’s true center — talent!
Well, let’s see. There will be a shot where the camera pans the entire room while Sinatra sings (Scorsese hallmark). And the Mafia will not exist. I can’t imagine that anyone would go see this.
Harry Conick, Jr. is THE guy to place Sinatra. He has the voice and is an icon himself.
Years ago, late 70s-early 80s, Sinatra himself had suggested David Bowie to play him.
this seems like the greatest movie possible music, mobsters, politics, sex,but at 3 hours and 20 minutes nobody is going
Heard this a month ago. Only getting made because DiCaprio committed.
It should be Jonathan Rhys Meyers, their physical attributes are very similar – blue eyes, very lean and lanky , small builds , a penchant for booze.Meyers has the acting chops for the role along with the bad boy image.
sean penn ten years ago
I wouldn’t go see it if DiCaprio was cast, or Tim Robbins or any other leftist. Sinatra would roll in his grave.
My vote is for Michael Bublé. Not sure of his acting talent, but the guy has “the voice”.
http://www.michaelbuble.com
James McAvoy.
Harry Connick, JR. Without a doubt.
Teen heart throb… musical comedy actor… a dark turn in From Here To Eternity…
Justin Timberlake.
I like Dicaprio but just because he has Blue eyes doesn’t mean he has the right look.
Gary Shandling as Joey Bishop.
George Wallace as Dean Martin.
Joe Piscapo as Jerry Lewis.
Matt from Michigan in American Idol 2009…It’s a hat thing with a sultry voice! It has to be someone young.
Can’t you see him in a sailor hat and then the Sinatra classic hat? And look at the similar facial bones when Sinatra was young.
Everyone should find/see the HBO movie “The Rat Pack” from a few years ago – and relish in the casting. Short of Ray Liotta as Frank, the cast (and film) is ASTOUNDING! Scorcese should do all he can to get Joe Mantegna to reprise his role of Dean Martin, Don Cheadle as Sammy…
Most of the suggestions to play Frank so far will be too old. Much as I dislike James Franco as a talent, he really does have the matinee idol looks for Frank back in those days. Can he sing? Can he learn?
DiCaprio would probably drop anything he’s doing (at the time) to play Frank, but would sadly be too… too.. y’know, too… Leo. Blah.
Frank: Jake Gyllenhaal
Dean: James Franco
Ava: Angelina Jolie
Sammy: Kanye West
Jerry: Brad Pitt
Joey: Owen Wilson
Peter Lawford: George Clooney
Keanu Reaves as Frank, Will Smith as Sammy, Kevin Spacey as Dean, Christain Bale as Joey, Burt Young as Joseph Bonnano who was a friend of Frank’s.
Keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer.
DiCaprio is a man/boy. Not even close to Frank.
I nominate Seth Green in blackface to plac Sammy Davis Jr.!
I always thought Ed Harris looked a lot like the middle aged sinatra.
But it they want younger, sure…Dicaprio…whatever.
Please, not DiCaprio. His total miscasting in The Aviator completely ruined that film. Why is Scorcese (and everyone else, it seems) so in love with the guy?
If it’s the Jersey days, Chris Pine maybe?
To all of the people saying Harry Connick Jr…have you noticed that he cannot act? Like at all? Please find someone else. I’d also prefer it not be Leo.
Johnny Depp is not a bad idea, but I hope they are able to find some realistic looking blue contacts. I may be crazy, but I notice these things and they take me out of the movie.
Clive Owen or Tim Statham. It’s all about the attitude baby.
The ONLY way this will come off well is with an Unknown
HARRY CONNICK JR.
Jude Law
DeCaprio was exceptional as Howard Hughes a much complex individual than Sinatra. As for Sinatra not having connections to the Mafia, it’s well known and documented it was through Sam Giancanna, the Godfather in Chicago that that Sinatra was keeping JFK supplied with Hollywood starlets. This is no secret. The mafia was hughely responsible for much of Sinatra’s success.
Vincent Kartheiser. I’m serious.
I love all these losers who are jealous of DiCaprio. Get out of your parents’ basement and get a life. You’re the same idiots who claimed DiCaprio couldn’t pull of Howard Hughes, or play a “tough” guy in “The Departed” or a mercenary in “Blood Diamond.” Now, two Oscar nominations and a Golden Globe win later, you’re still moaning that he’s overrated, can’t act, yada, yada, yada.
By the way, DiCaprio scored his first Oscar nomination at age 19, years before he made “Titanic” or before Scorsese cast him in a film.
And for those of you who only know Sinatra when he was past 60, he was very boyish in his youth and had a very smooth voice. Ask your grandparents.
CONNICK
is the only acceptable substitute for the Chairman
How about Chris Pine? He’s got talent and of course his success with Star Trek has put him in the limelight! I really couldn’t stand Leo in this. Wahlberg was only good in The Departed. Also, I don’t think casting Connick is a god idea either- sure he’s got the voice but as an actor he sucks. Ben Whishaw wasn’t a bad idea, neither was Maguire (who needs something aside after all the Spiderman films) or Depp (who prob can’t do it since he has so many films lined up).
Definitely Franco
HARRY CONNICK JR. he has it all. he looks like frank…he can sing and…he can act!
Leo De Caprio? big mistake!
Actually, the person who said Jonathan Rhys Meyers made a good choice. He’s a good singer and fantastic at impersonations/interpretations. Plus, as you say, he has the right body look for the role and that sort of lazy/sexy swagger about him. And a good actor who would do well with the intense side fo Frank. I don’t think Leo is a good fit here.