Martin Scorsese and Kenneth Branagh Have Had “Informal” Talks About a ‘Macbeth’ Movie

We all know Martin Scorsese is a busy, busy man, with several projects he’d love to make, from his upcoming ‘Silence’ (which just began production) to biopics about the Ramones and Frank Sinatra, and the long-gestating and long-promised ‘The Irishman.’ Whether Scorsese actually makes some of these projects remains to be seen, but he may have just added another prospective film to his to-do list: a film adaptation of Kenneth Branagh’s version of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth.’

Scorsese has done it all: gangster and crime movies, remakes, period dramas, and even a family film. But there’s one thing he hasn’t tackled: the great William Shakespeare. According to the Daily Mail, Scorsese was pretty impressed with Branagh’s recent Manchester International Festival production of the Scottish play, which places the audience just inches from the action, giving a fully immersive and intimate experience.

Branagh has long been known for his Shakespeare adaptations both on stage and screen, and according to the report, he’s had “informal conversations” with Scorsese about making a film based on Branagh’s version of ‘Macbeth.’ It’s unclear whether Scorsese would simply produce while Branagh directs or vice versa, but Branagh’s play definitely has cinematic potential.

If Scorsese were serious about the project, it would still be some time before he got around to it—he recently began production on ‘Silence’ starring Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver, and his involvement has been rumored with a Ramones biopic, which is right up his alley. There’s also the Frank Sinatra biopic, which has long been a passion project for the director, but one he’s never fully committed to making, as well as the long-gestating ‘The Irishman,’ which would reunite Scorsese with his ‘Goodfellas’ and ‘Casino’ stars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. That film would also see Scorsese working with Al Pacino for the first time (if you can believe it), and Pacino recently said that ‘The Irishman’ is definitely, finally happening, likely after ‘Silence.’

Branagh’s next film, Disney’s live-action version of ‘Cinderella,’ hits theaters on March 13. He’s currently in talks to bring his ‘Macbeth’ to Alexandra Palace in North London. Scorsese’s ‘Silence’ is scheduled for release in 2016.