The big screen and an iconic director, Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Goodfellas), may have just tempted Daniel Day-Lewis out of his second retirement yet again.
The actor, 66, retired from acting in 1997 and began working as an apprentice shoemaker in Italy in 2000. Even though he went back to acting, Day-Lewis—who is often considered to be among the best in movie history—announced his retirement once again in 2017.
Based on what is happening in the entertainment business, it appears that the four-time BAFTA Award-winning actor is thinking about making a comeback to give fans what they have been waiting for. He recently presented Scorsese with a National Board of Review Best Director award at the organization’s gala ceremony held on Thursday in New York City. In addition to accepting the award, the latter even suggested Day-Lewis’ possible acting career comeback.
Is Daniel Day-Lewis Making a Comeback from a Second Retirement in a Martin Scorsese Film?
It’s no secret that Daniel Day-Lewis is fond of choosing roles that challenge him enough to the very core of his work. And when you think of amazing collaborations in the film industry, Martin Scorsese and Day-Lewis are two names that instantly come to mind. Their previous work together on Gangs of New York, which was when the actor came out of his first retirement, delivered a flick that gave us no reason to doubt the extraordinary film partnerships.
And when Scorsese’s upcoming Jesus film is making waves, Day-Lewis may definitely come out of his second retirement. Taking inspiration from Shūsaku Endō’s book A Life of Jesus, the director is already making teases about what could be his next movie and hinting at working with the actor again.
Martin Scorsese teases doing one more film with Daniel Day-Lewis.
“We did 2 films together and it’s one of the greatest experiences of my life… maybe there’s time for one more.”
(Source: @NextBestPicture) pic.twitter.com/Pkc5FPXXWp
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) January 12, 2024
Jesus is a perfect fit for the Lincoln star, who only takes on roles that pique his interest. With Day-Lewis’s natural ability and Scorsese’s penchant for complex storytelling, we can expect their upcoming endeavor to surely be a hit.
Day-Lewis, who is often referred to as a thespian of the highest caliber, would be suitable for the role of Jesus Christ, who is arguably one of history’s most iconic characters. Who better than the actor, who riveted viewers as Abraham Lincoln and a host of other remarkable characters, to assume this monumentally transformative role of biblical proportions?
The Goal of Martin Scorsese’s ‘80-Minute’ New Jesus Film is to ‘Take Away The Negative’
Imagine learning about forgiveness, atonement, and sacrifice from the living embodiment of Jesus Christ. The director of Casino and The Last Temptation of Christ, Martin Scorsese, has always had a natural ability to deftly explore difficult moral themes and probe deeply into people’s minds. In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, he disclosed that his upcoming religious movie will take place in the present, but the publication claims that
“Scorsese doesn’t want to be locked into a certain period, because he wants the film to feel timeless. Plus, he envisions the film will clock in at around 80 minutes, a stark contrast to ‘Flower Moon’s’ 206-minute runtime. Per the L.A. Times, the movie will focus on “Jesus’ core teachings in a way that explores the principles but doesn’t proselytize.”
The filmmaker is genuinely looking for fresh approaches to increase accessibility and take away the “negative onus” of things that have historically been connected to organized religion. Scorsese further to the outlet:
“Right now, ‘religion,’ you say that word and everyone is up in arms because it’s failed in so many ways. But that doesn’t mean necessarily that the initial impulse was wrong. Let’s get back. Let’s just think about it. You may reject it. But it might make a difference in how you live your life — even in rejecting it. Don’t dismiss it offhand. That’s all I’m talking about. And I’m saying that as a person who’s going to be 81 in a couple of days.”
As Scorsese leads the charge, we can expect a transcendent show that embodies the core lessons of Jesus and speaks to audiences of all backgrounds. If Daniel Day-Lewis and the Killers of the Flower Moon director would collaborate again, it would undoubtedly be the stuff of movie dreams.
