Dwayne Johnson circling Martin Scorsese’s Hawaii crime movie

Can you smell what Martin Scorsese is cooking?

The Killers of the Flower Moon filmmaker is developing a new crime film set in 1960s/’70s Hawaii — with Dwayne Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Emily Blunt all in discussions to star.

According to Deadline, which first reported the news, the film will be based on a real-life crime lord who battled mainland companies and rival gangs to exert control over the Hawaiian islands. Although there’s little concrete information available about the project, it seems safe to assume that Johnson is targeting the central role.

Journalist and screenwriter Nick Bilton confirmed his involvement in an Instagram story Thursday. “I’m writing a movie for Martin Scorsese starring this unbelievably incredible cast!” the writer posted.

Deadline reports that Scorsese, Johnson, Blunt, DiCaprio, and Bilton will all produce alongside Johnson’s producing partner/ex-wife Dany Garcia, Scorsese’s former assistant Lisa Frechette, and frequent Scorsese collaborator Rick Yorn. The outlet also noted that Johnson and Blunt brought the concept to Scorsese and DiCaprio.

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Johnson’s recent career has been dominated by big-budget franchise projects like Jumanji, The Fast and the Furious, Moana, and DC’s Black Adam. However, his next project, The Smashing Machine, is a dramatic sports biopic from Uncut Gems filmmaker Benny Safdie. 

That film, coupled with a potential Scorsese collaboration, suggests a possible shift in priorities for Johnson, as these films are likelier to draw critical acclaim and awards attention than they are to dominate the box office. (And, if his bid for more serious dramatic work proves unsuccessful, Johnson still has the live-action Moana and a probable role in the final Fast and Furious movie to maintain box office success.)

The Hawaii film would mark DiCaprio’s seventh feature-length collaboration with Scorsese, following Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Killers of the Flower Moon. 

DiCaprio and Scorsese also recently revived their long-delayed Devil in the White City adaptation at 20th Century Studios. It’s not immediately clear which DiCaprio-Scorsese project would move forward first. The actor will next star in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another.

Blunt recently received her first Oscar nomination for her supporting role in Oppenheimer. She starred alongside Johnson in 2021’s adventure blockbuster Jungle Cruise, and will reunite with him in The Smashing Machine later this year. Blunt has never worked with Scorsese as a director, though he produced her film The Young Victoria in 2009.