Story of Jesus set in modern times by Martin Scorsese

Scorsese said, “Why shouldn't I make another film about Jesus?”

The year 2023 saw Martin Scorsese heavily engaged in cinema, particularly with the acclaimed film “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Accompanied by his wife, Helen Morris, he journeyed to Rome for the “The Global Aesthetics of the Catholic Imagination” conference, where he disclosed his aspiration to craft a film centered around Jesus, having already initiated work on it.

The project, based on Shūsaku Endō's “A Life of Jesus,” was officially announced during the event, followed by the sharing of the initial screenplay draft by Scorsese himself. Planning to set the narrative in contemporary New York, Scorsese intends to shoot the film on 16mm film, although casting decisions remain pending.

Kent Jones, a long-time collaborator, joins Scorsese in crafting the screenplay. Surprisingly, there's speculation about the film's duration being a concise 80 minutes, a departure from Scorsese's typical style. Furthermore, this won't mark the first adaptation of Endō's work by Scorsese; “The Silence,” directed by Scorsese in 2016, also drew inspiration from Endō's writings.

This forthcoming film won't be Scorsese's debut in depicting Jesus either. “The Last Temptation of Christ,” featuring Willem Dafoe in the lead, preceded this project in 1988 as Scorsese's initial portrayal of the Jesus narrative on screen.

For those interested, the synopsis of the film, penned by Martin Scorsese himself, is readily available.