“It wouldn’t be a straight narrative”: Martin Scorsese Tries His Hands at Jesus for the Third Time After His $33M Movie Made Him a Target of Death Threats

Martin Scorsese identifies himself as a Catholic and believes in the tenets of Catholicism. The Aviator director earlier had issues with his faith due to the Catholic stand against divorce, which he had gone through four times. However, Scorsese revealed that he has always felt most comfortable identifying as a Catholic over the years. The Departed director has previously explored themes related to his religion and Jesus Christ in his movies.

However, Scorsese’s approach to these themes was met with several controversies in the past. His 1988 film about Jesus Christ, The Last Temptation of Christ, faced worldwide protests and accusations of blasphemy, even leading to death threats against Scorsese.

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Martin Scorsese Announces Plans For A Third Jesus-Based Movie

After his controversial 1988 production that grossed $33.8 million at the box office, Martin Scorsese returned to Christian-based movies with his 2016 film, Silence. The historical drama film highlighted the persecution of Japanese Christians, also known as kakure kirishitan or hidden Christians, in the 17th century by the Tokugawa shogunate. The film featured a talented cast including Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, and Liam Neeson.

In May, Scorsese’s latest film, Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Leonardo DiCaprio premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. During his promotional tour in Italy, the Shutter Island director met with the Pope. He later shared the details of the meeting during an event organized by Georgetown University and La Civiltà Cattolica in Rome, stating:

“I responded to the Pope’s appeal to artists in the only way I know how: by imagining and writing a script for a film about Jesus. And I am about to start making it.”

This forthcoming film will mark his third Jesus-based movie. While further details about the movie are unknown at the time, the next release from the director will be the Jonah Hill-led biopic on the Grateful Dead band. The Hugo director is also planning a book-to-movie adaptation of Marilynne Robinson’s novel Home.

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Martin Scorsese Has Not Yet Fully Planned Out His Jesus Movie

The Last Temptation of Christ explored some controversial themes and in a widely criticized climax scene, Jesus Christ was portrayed as hallucinating about starting a family with Mary Magdalene while on the cross. However, his new film aims to appeal to the mass believers who were offended by the 1988 film. In his conversation with La Civiltà Cattolica, Scorsese admitted that he hasn’t fully planned out the movie’s concept yet:

“I don’t know what it’s going to be, exactly. I don’t know what you’d call it. It wouldn’t be a straight narrative. But there would be staged scenes. And I’d be in it.”

Martin Scorsese’s films have the prominent theme of guilt explored within the context of Catholicism. It can be seen in his movies like Raging Bull, The Departed, Shutter Island, and lately The Irishman. The Taxi Driver director also made a biographical film based on the life of the 14th Dalai Lama, titled Kundun released in 1997.

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The Last Temptation of Christ and Silence, both Scorsese films are available for rent on AppleTV+.

Source: La Civiltà Cattolica – YouTube