Martin Scorsese is setting his sights on a new chapter of American crime history — one that predates even the cinematic gangsters we’ve come to expect from him. The legendary director is developing a new film, Midnight Vendetta, centered on the arrival of the Sicilian Mafia in New Orleans around 1890, when a wave of immigration brought with it not only hope, but centuries-old rivalries and a legacy of organised crime.
The script, written by Oscar-winner Eric Roth (The Insider, Munich), is reportedly complete, setting the project ahead of many of Scorsese’s other irons in the fire.
The story is rooted in real and bloody history: the assassination of Police Chief David Hennessy in 1890, an event that unleashed a wave of anti-Italian sentiment and culminated in one of the largest lynchings in U.S. history. Eleven Italian men — some believed to have Mafia connections, many not — were dragged from jail and murdered by a mob. It was a gruesome turning point, not just for New Orleans, but for how America would come to understand (and mythologise) the Mafia.
While the project is still in early stages, one name already hovering around it is a familiar one: Leonardo DiCaprio. Though no deal has been signed, the actor recently exited Damien Chazelle’s planned Evel Knievel Goes on Tour, allegedly to make room for another Scorsese collaboration. It wouldn’t be the first time DiCaprio dives into the murkier sides of American history under Marty’s guidance.
At 82, Scorsese shows no signs of slowing. With several projects in development — some still waiting on scripts — Midnight Vendetta appears to have a head start. And if history has taught us anything, when Scorsese mixes fact, fiction, and felonies, it’s usually worth paying attention.
