Skip to main content

We have to admit that director Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio make a killer combo, but let’s not forget about Robert De Niro. Many of De Niro’s best movie roles over the years came in films directed by Scorsese. The duo is teaming up again, and they’re bringing their pals with them for the Netflix movie The Irishman. Here’s what we know about the movie so far.

The Irishman is based on a true story

Jimmy Hoffa's disappearance is part of the storyline in the Martin Scorsese movie The Irishman
Jimmy Hoffa’s disappearance is part of the storyline in the Martin Scorsese movie The Irishman. | Keystone/Getty Images

It seems hard to believe, but The Irishman is based on a true story. Charles Brandt’s book “I Heard You Paint Houses” is the source material, and the bestseller details the life of Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran. He was a World War II Army veteran who settled into a life of crime after the war.

Sheeran carried out hits for mob boss Russell Bufalino, and that included murdering Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa, at least according to Sheeran.

Who else stars in the movie besides Robert De Niro?

Martin Scorsese movies help define Robert De Niro's career as an actor. They're teaming up again on The Irishman.
Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese are teaming up again. | Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images

Starring in Martin Scorsese-directed movies helped define Robert De Niro’s career. Three of the actor’s Academy Award nominations, and one of his two wins, came in Scorsese films. The pair will try to rekindle their old magic on The Irishman, and they’ll have some help.

Al Pacino plays Jimmy Hoffa, Joe Pesci is Russell Bufalino, and Harvey Keitel plays Angelo Bruno. All three have at least one Oscar nomination, and all three have played street-wise tough guy characters before.

It cost a fortune to make

Martin Scorsese's net worth was already high before he won an Oscar for best director.
The Irishman is the most expensive Martin Scorsese movie production ever. | Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Martin Scorsese has 70 producer credits to his name as well as 62 director credits, but The Irishman sets a record in the filmmaker’s canon.

The movie’s budget exploded to $175 million, which beats the $150 million he spent on the effects-heavy Hugo. The reason The Irishman cost so much probably isn’t what you think. Paying Hollywood legends such as De Niro, Pacino, Pesci, and Keitel isn’t cheap, but the real cost is digitally aging the actors backward to play younger versions of themselves, according to Esquire.

We can’t say where The Irishman will rank on the lost of Scorsese’s best and worst movies, but one thing is for sure — the director has the budget to make a hit.  

What is the release date?

Sebastian Maniscalco talks about his experience working with Robert De Niro on The Irishman.

The Irishman is a Netflix movie, which means you have to be a night owl to watch it as soon as it’s released. The company typically adds new content at 12 a.m. Pacific, according to PopSugar, and it rarely strays from that model.

As for when it comes out, we don’t have a specific date, but one of the stars gave us a window. Comic Sebastian Maniscalco revealed on Joe Rogan’s podcast that The Irishman comes to Netflix in October 2019, according to Esquire.

Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook!

Best in Entertainment