Martin Scorsese Shares Regret Over A Leonardo DiCaprio Thriller

Martin Scorsese, one of the most respected filmmakers in Hollywood, has expressed regret over one of his most successful films: Shutter Island, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Scorsese, whose filmography includes Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, and Goodfellas, recently disclosed to GQ that he was encouraged to direct the 2010 psychological thriller following his Oscar win for The Departed, but wishes he had chosen to oversee his “passion project,” Silence, instead.

Happily, Scorsese did eventually go on to direct Silence (2016). The film, which is based on a novel by Shūsaku Endō, stars Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield as two Jesuit priests who travel to Japan in pursuit of their mentor.

Shutter Island Was A Box Office Hit

Regardless of Scorsese’s feelings about the film, Shutter Island was a box office success, earning more than $294 million globally. The film, which stars Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, and Michelle Williams alongside DiCaprio, also enjoyed generally favorable reviews from critics and was selected by the National Board of Review as one of the best releases of 2010.

Fans will remember the film, based on Dennis Lehane’s novel of the same name, follows U.S. Marshal Edward “Teddy” Daniels (DiCaprio) as he investigates a psychiatric facility in the wake of a patient’s mysterious disappearance.

Scorsese Made Some Of His Best Work Under Difficult Conditions

In the same interview with GQ, Scorsese also recalled his experience directing the 2002 historical drama Gangs of New York, revealing how disgraced former film producer Harvey Weinstein intervened heavily during filming.

“If that was the only way that I was able to be allowed to make films, then I’d have to stop,” Scorsese said of the disruptive shoot. “The results weren’t satisfying. It was at times extremely difficult, and I wouldn’t survive it. I’d be dead.”

The director endured a similar experience on the set of 2004’s The Aviator, also starring DiCaprio. Scorsese shared that he “was forced into” working with Weinstein once again, who “came in and did some things that I felt were extremely mean” towards the end of production.

In spite of the on-set turmoil, both films wound up enjoying commercial and critical success. Gangs of New York earned 10 Academy Award nominations, while The Aviator was nominated for 11 and took home five.