Just some good guys! 'Silence' director Martin Scorsese meets Pope Francis at the Vatican in Rome as he prepares to make a new film about Jesus

Martin Scorsese has had a private audience with Pope Francis ahead of the shooting of his new screenplay about Jesus.

The renowned director, 81, met with the Pope on Wednesday, although it is not yet clear what the pair discussed. Filming of his latest film about the son of God is expected to begin later this year.

The film will be an adaptation of Shūsaku Endō's 1966 book 'A Life of Jesus' and will be much shorter than his other films, with a running time of approximately 80 minutes.

It will be set in the present, to make it 'timeless' and explore the core teachings of 'Jesus' in a way that examines the principles, but does not proselytize.

“I'm trying to find a new way to make it more accessible and take away the negative burden of what's associated with organized religion,” he said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

The film will be an adaptation of Shūsaku Endō's book 'A Life of Jesus', written in 1966

Director Martin Scorsese, center, flanked by his daughter Francesca, left, and actress Lily Gladstone, as he attends Pope Francis' weekly general audience in the Pope Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Wednesday, January 31, 2024.

Mr. Scorsese first spoke about his new project last May when he attended “The Global Aesthetics of the Catholic Imagination” at the Vatican, which brought together about 40 filmmakers, writers and poets who saw Catholicism as an integral part of their work .

At the event, Scorsese said, “I responded to the Pope's call to artists in the only way I know how: by conceiving and writing a screenplay for a film about Jesus.”

Shūsaku Endō was also the author of Silence, a book adapted into a film by Scorsese in 2016, which followed the story of two Portuguese Jesuit missionaries, played by Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield, who face various forms of persecution during their travels. through 17th century Japan to convert the locals and track down their mentor, played by Liam Neeson.

The film was shown during a special viewing at the Vatican, as Pope Francis is the first Jesuit pope.

Pope Francis meets with director Martin Scorsese during a conference promoted by La Civilta Cattolica and Georgetown University at the Vatican, May 27, 2023

Film director Martin Scorsese kisses Pope Francis' hand as they participate in the presentation of the new book 'Sharing The Wisdom of Time' about the Pope's conversation with young people in Rome, Italy, October 23, 2018

Pope Francis meets film director Martin Scorsese during a private audience at the Vatican on November 30, 2016

The filmmaker was also joined by the Pope for the launch of the book Sharing The Wisdom Of Time in 2018, where he bowed to the leader of the Catholic Church.

Scorsese spoke at the same time as La Civiltà Cattolica about the film and his own religious beliefs.

“Well, I'm interested in how people perceive God, or, more accurately, how they perceive the world of the intangible,” he explained.

'After many years of thinking about other things and playing around here and there, I feel most comfortable as a Catholic. I believe in the principles of Catholicism. I'm not a church doctor. I am not a theologian who can dispute the Trinity. I am certainly not interested in the politics of the institution.

“But the idea of ​​the resurrection, the idea of ​​the incarnation, the powerful message of compassion and love – that is the key.”

Scorsese was raised Catholic and attended a Catholic school as a child.

Although his religious films have not been without controversy, Scorsese adapted the 1988 book 'The Last Temptation of Christ'.

Which depicted Jesus as both having a sexual desire and allowing him to consider the possibility of going against his true calling; die for our sins.

The production was met with strong opposition worldwide, leading to its cancellation by Paramount and, after the film was picked up again by Universal, evangelist and producer Bill Bright. offered to buy the film's negative from Universal to burn.

Private audiences with the Pope are usually strictly reserved for heads of state, heads of government, new Vatican ambassadors to the Holy See or groups of bishops making an ad limina visit.

Although the Pope is seen by worshipers every Wednesday morning during a general audience.

But private meetings with celebrities are not unheard of, he met him in November Brendan Rodger and his Celtic players after their 2-0 defeat at Lazio.

The Vatican has been contacted for comment.