Martin Scorsese is making a Jesus film. Here’s what we know
In May of last year, Martin Scorsese announced that he was planning to make a film about Jesus. This was a surprise, especially in light of the fact that Scorsese had already made one film with Jesus as the subject, 1988’s The Last Temptation of Christ. That film, now regarded as a classic, drew protests (and worse) from many Catholics and other Christians who considered the film blasphemous.
The new Jesus film will apparently be different. Not only has it been inspired by a papal address, but it will reportedly take a positive view of traditional organized religion.
Viewers who are anticipating something like The Chosen are likely to be disappointed, however. Scorsese is a bold and highly original filmmaker who numbers among his favorite films The Flowers of St. Francis by Roberto Rossellini and The Gospel According to St. Matthew by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Both those films generated controversy at the time of their releases, in no small part because both directors were avowed atheists. Nevertheless, the two movies later appeared on the Vatican’s list of recommended films.
