Menu
English Русский

Martin Scorsese Didn't Want to Make This Hit Film for a Long Time, It Became One of the Director's Best Works

Global Look Press — Martin Scorsese and still from the movie 'Goodfellas' (1990)

The crime drama starring Robert De Niro won an Oscar and is considered a cult film decades after its release.

Martin Scorsese, who continues to actively make films, established himself as one of the most successful directors of the next few decades back in the 1980s, with more than one cult work to his credit.

Having tried himself in several genres, Scorsese at some point went headlong into gangster cinema, making it much more attractive to the public, however, one of the director's big hits might never have happened if, by his own admission, he had not felt indebted to the studio he was working with at the time.

Martin Scorsese Didn't Want to Make Goodfellas

Although Scorsese is famous for filming only what he wants, at some point the director succumbed to the wishes of Warner Bros., the studio he was working with at the time. In one of his interviews, Scorsese said that after the release of Mean Streets in 1973, he did not want to work with the crime drama genre, but felt that he had to film something like that, feeling like he owed Warner Bros.

Goodfellas still

Scorsese wrote the script for the future Goodfellas together with Nicholas Pileggi, and the studio's producers insisted that Scorsese and no one else take the director's chair.

Goodfellas became one of the biggest hits in Scorsese's career

The film, starring the director's favorite Robert De Niro, became a real phenomenon of its time and still remains a cult film, although it was released back in 1990. Goodfellas did not collect a large box office, but received the highest marks from critics and viewers - on Rotten Tomatoes the film has 94% and 97% positive reviews, respectively.

Meanwhile, Scorsese is already preparing a new project, on which he will work with another regular of his films, Leonardo DiCaprio.

Deep Rising: The King Kong Prequel That Almost Kicked Off the Monsterverse Deep Rising: The King Kong Prequel That Almost Kicked Off the Monsterverse Read more 22 February 2026
Roger Ebert Got 2000s Thriller The Skulls Wrong — Here's Why It Deserves a Second Look Roger Ebert Got 2000s Thriller The Skulls Wrong — Here's Why It Deserves a Second Look Read more 22 February 2026
Lucifer Is the Six-Season DC Dark Fantasy Binge Netflix Fans Can’t Resist Lucifer Is the Six-Season DC Dark Fantasy Binge Netflix Fans Can’t Resist Read more 22 February 2026
Wuthering Heights Still Reigns as New Releases Stumble in Sluggish Box Office Weekend Wuthering Heights Still Reigns as New Releases Stumble in Sluggish Box Office Weekend Read more 22 February 2026
Stephen King Loves This Underrated Crime Thriller: Have You Seen It Yet? Stephen King Loves This Underrated Crime Thriller: Have You Seen It Yet? Read more 22 February 2026
Cross Season 2 Episode 5 Is Almost Here: Release Date, Time, and Where to Watch Cross Season 2 Episode 5 Is Almost Here: Release Date, Time, and Where to Watch Read more 22 February 2026
Don’t Miss Sistas Season 10 Episode 8: Release Date, Exact Time, And Where To Watch Don’t Miss Sistas Season 10 Episode 8: Release Date, Exact Time, And Where To Watch Read more 22 February 2026
Steven Spielberg's Overlooked Sci-Fi Thriller Is the Creepiest Show You Missed Steven Spielberg's Overlooked Sci-Fi Thriller Is the Creepiest Show You Missed Read more 22 February 2026
After 30 Years, Brad Bird’s 'Ray Gunn' Moves Forward — But the 'Incredibles' Franchise Faces a Creative Shift After 30 Years, Brad Bird’s 'Ray Gunn' Moves Forward — But the 'Incredibles' Franchise Faces a Creative Shift Read more 11 June 2025
Johnny Depp’s Personal Turmoil Disrupted Production of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' Johnny Depp’s Personal Turmoil Disrupted Production of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales' Read more 11 June 2025
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Read more