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Joe Pesci 'confirmed for Martin Scorsese's The Irishman'

Pesci… appears to have been persuaded to join The Irishman with Scorsese, De Niro and Pacino – Credit: Getty
Pesci… appears to have been persuaded to join The Irishman with Scorsese, De Niro and Pacino – Credit: Getty

After much cajoling, Joe Pesci is reportedly confirmed for Martin Scorsese’s new gangster movie ‘The Irishman’.

The ‘Goodfellas’ star is more or less retired, and bar a voice appearance in animated movie ‘A Warrior’s Tail’ in 2015, he’s not made a film since 2010 comedy ‘Love Ranch’, and prior to that, ‘The Good Shepherd’ in 2006.

But according to Scorsese’s long-time editor Thelma Schoonmaker, he’s on board for ‘The Irishman’.

Speaking about the director’s last movie, the religious epic ‘Silence’, she said: “[Scorsese] wants to make more films like this, that are spiritual, basically, but not set in 17th century Japan [laughs]. In the modern time. So hopefully we’ll be able to make that. Not the next one, the next one is ‘The Irishman,’ which is De Niro and Joe Pesci and elderly gangsters. So that’ll be very different from ‘Silence.’ But maybe the one after that!”

Prior to this, Pesci wasn’t confirmed for ‘The Irishman’, but it seems Schoonmaker may have inadvertently let the cat out of the bag.

Not only was Pesci previously unconfirmed, he seemed distinctly not up for it.

Speaking at the Guy’s Choice Awards last summer, De Niro, appearing on stage with Pesci, said: “Marty and I are planning to get back together for a movie I think will be a future ‘Guy Hall of Fame’ entry, that is if Joe has any more f**ks left in him.

(Credit: Warner Bros)
(Credit: Warner Bros)

“So far all he keeps saying is ‘Go f**k yourself.’”

The movie, which has been bought up by Netflix, has been many years in the making.

It will be based on the book ‘I Heard You Paint Houses’, the biography of mobster Frank ‘The Irishman’ Sheeran, played by De Niro, which recounts Sheeran’s possible involvement in the murder of union leader Jimmy Hoffa.

Al Pacino will also star – he’s said to be playing Hoffa – in the first collaboration between Scorsese, De Niro and the ‘Scarface’ legend.

It’s due for release in 2019.

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