Mark Wahlberg, who had a crucial part in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed (2006), revealed a potential sequel after the project’s immense success. He had plans to feature Robert De Niro in the sequel after it was famously known that he was initially associated with the 2006 film.
Amassing a devoted fandom over the years, the Scorsese project swept numerous awards including four Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
Penned by William Monahan, The Departed is an absolute delight for movie enthusiasts featuring a notable cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. However, this list could have included De Niro as well, but he had other plans.
Robert De Niro Almost Starred in The Departed
The creative combination of Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese in Hollywood has given numerous blockbusters with some even gaining cult status. However, he refused to work with the renowned filmmaker in the 2006 movie, The Departed.
In an interview with Deadline, the latter revealed that he approached the actor regarding this project but he passed on the offer.
“We talked to Bob [De Niro] about it, but he didn’t want to do it.”
As for why the former turned down the offer, he already had prior engagements to direct his own film, The Good Shepherd as per Vanity Fair. Not only would he be able to reunite with Scorsese but lead actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, and it didn’t happen.
However, he was open to working on its sequel. He told in the same interview,
“I’d love to do it, but it’s a real uphill battle.”
With the movie becoming a critical and commercial success, actor Mark Wahlberg tried to pitch its sequel alongside the scriptwriter to Warner Bros. but the results were not positive.
Mark Wahlberg Once Pitched for The Departed Sequel
In a 2022 appearance on KFC Radio, Mark Wahlberg confirmed that The Departed sequel was indeed in talks which he pitched.
He went to pitch the idea for its sequel with scriptwriter William Monahan, but nothing worked in their favor.
“I went into a meeting with [screenwriter] Bill Monahan at Warner Bros. to pitch the sequel to ‘The Departed,’” the actor shared. “And let’s just say the pitch didn’t go very well. He really didn’t have anything fleshed out, but he’s the kind of guy you just trust to go and write something.”
As to why their efforts didn’t work out, Monahan revealed to SlashFilm that his lack of synopsis affected Warner Bros.’s decision to move forward with the project.
“I don’t do synopses and I don’t pitch.”
Centered on Wahlberg’s character, he had plans to set the movie “before, during and after the action of the first film” which he felt would have been ‘extraordinary.’
The Ted actor revealed that the scriptwriter had plans to feature A-list actors for the pitched project like Brad Pitt and De Niro. Eventually, the whole plan never took off meanwhile Wahlberg’s movie ended up grossing over $289.6 million as per The Numbers.
The Departed is available to watch on Max.
