Scorsese's Hawaiian Crime Epic

Dwayne Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Emily Blunt are set to star in Martin Scorsese's new crime drama. The film will be reminiscent of the 82-year-old director's "Goodfellas" and "The Departed" – only this time, the action will unfold in Hawaii.

According to Deadline, the untitled film will take place in Hawaii in the 1960s and 70s. The story will center around a Hawaiian crime boss who engages in a fierce battle with rival syndicates to seize control of the Hawaiian Islands' criminal underworld.

The plot is inspired by the true story of a man who defended his homeland and sought absolute power. It is not specified who this person is, but it is known that this story has never been adapted for the screen before. In the film, he will be portrayed as a charismatic and formidable gangster determined to build the most powerful criminal empire on the island.

The film promises to showcase bloody criminal showdowns – in the spirit of those seen in "Goodfellas" (1990) and "The Departed" (2006). The main character is compared to Robert De Niro's character from "Goodfellas":

"Imagine Robert De Niro's Jimmy the Gent from 'Goodfellas' as a ruthless Hawaiian crime lord. He's based on a real person who fought with rivals for control of organized crime in Hawaii."

Dwayne Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Blunt, and Martin Scorsese will produce the project. It was Johnson and Blunt who shared the idea with Scorsese and DiCaprio. The screenplay is written by Nick Bilton ("The Idol"). DiCaprio has long collaborated with Scorsese, appearing in the director's films "Killers of the Flower Moon" (2023), "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013), and "Shutter Island" (2009). Johnson and Blunt starred together in the blockbuster "Jungle Cruise" (2021). "The Smashing Machine" starring Johnson and Blunt will be released in late 2025.