Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Martin Scorsese’s history with the Academy Awards hasn’t always been cheerful, but the veteran filmmaker managed to grab one forThe Departedin 2007. The Boston-set crime thriller exposed the many institutional problems with crime fighting. By the end of the film, all the ‘rats’ end up dead, sending a clear message about the film’s themes to the viewers. However, Warner Bros. wasn’t exactly thrilled that Scorsese killed off the stars of the film.
In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Billy Costigan and Matt Damon’s Colin Sullivan were working as moles in the Irish mob and the Massachusetts State Police respectively. Both stars were assets to WB if the movie were ever made into a franchise, but Scorsese had very different plans for them.
Warner Bros. Was Unhappy With Martin Scorsese’s Ending ForThe Departed
Warner Bros. had intentions to squeeze more money out of the Oscar-winning crime film,The Departed. With all the star power at their hand, includingLeonardo DiCaprio,Matt Damon,Jack Nicholson, andMark Wahlberg, the studio thought thatthey could just get them to do more films. However, the studio asked the wrong guy to change his planned ending for the film to set its dream in motion.
“No they are cinema”: Writer Who Helped Martin Scorsese Make an Oscar Nominated Movie Does Not Agree With His Harsh Verdict on Marvel Movies
WB was keen that DiCaprio and Damon live at the end of the film, butMartin Scorsesehad already planned the climax that would align with the many themes ofThe Departed. TheTaxi Driverdirector was not willing to go along with the studio-approved ending for the film. He defied the wishes of the WB execs and went ahead with his climax anyway, leading to a strained relationship between him and the studio.
Scorsese opened up about how WB pressed for a franchise in an interview with GQ. He shared that the execs were pretty sad when they walked out of the premiere. TheGoodfellasdirector shared that it was his cue that he couldn’t work with the studio anymore. Scorsese shared withGQ:
“What they wanted was a franchise. It wasn’t about a moral issue of a person living or dying. And then the studio guys walked out and they were very sad, because they just didn’t want that movie. They wanted the franchise. Which means: I can’t work here any more.”
Fans of theRaging Bulldirector know that he is not a man to give up his artistic integrity for studio wishes. Nonetheless, the film was a big boost for WB that year with the Oscar wins for Best Picture and Best Director.
Martin Scorsese Ended His Decades-Long Relationship With WB AfterThe Departed
Martin Scorsese’s first critical and commercial success,Mean Streets, was distributed by Warner Bros. in 1973. He worked with the studio in films likeAlice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,After Hours,Goodfellas, andThe Aviator. However, the creative differences inThe Departedended that decades-long relationship forever.
Years Before Henry Cavill’s Mustache-Gate, Mark Wahlberg’s “Weird Hair” He Was Growing for Another $58M Movie Made Him Martin Scorsese’s Nightmare During The Departed
Scorsese’s later films were mostly produced by Paramount Pictures, includingShutter IslandandThe Wolf of Wall Street. He teamed up with Netflix in 2019 to create another gangster epic,The Irishman.Scorsese’s latest Oscar-nominated film,Killers of the Flower Moon, was co-produced by Paramount and AppleTV+.
The Departedis now available for streaming on AppleTV.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
More from Hashim Asraff
Madison Beer’s Boyfriend: Who Is She Dating?
Brad Pitt Hits Maximum Paranoia: Real Reason He Wants to Turn $12 Million Home Into a “Fortress” (Report)
Peacemaker Season 2: Frank Grillo Reveals John Cena’s Secret That He Never Saw Coming
Recommended
5 Addictive Discord Games That Will Hook Your Whole Squad
Helen Mirren Agrees With Ana de Armas for Next James Bond With Feminist Take
Keeper Trailer: Tatiana Maslany Tries to Survive in Longlegs Director’s Next Horror Flick
Hollow Knight: Silksong Release Set for 2025, Demo Playable at Gamescom
Fact Check: Has Activision Announced Call of Duty: Black Ops Remastered?
The Batman 2 May Get Its Worst Update That Will Affect Its Shot at The Oscar
Leonardo DiCaprioMartin ScorseseMatt Damon
