1995 was a memorable year for film fans. Braveheart, Toy Story, Batman Forever, Se7en, Pulp Fiction, Goldeneye, the list goes on and on. Tucked away at number 42 in the list of that year’s top grossing movies was Martin Scorsese’s epic crime drama Casino. 42nd might sound modest, but the movie did better than Forrest Gump, Judge Dredd and The Usual Suspects. It truly was an epic year!
The plot of the movie was based on real events, with Robert De Niro’s character inspired by Frank Rosenthal, who ran several Las Vegas casinos for the Chicago mob in the 1970s. The film’s conclusion left no loose ends, so it would not appear that a sequel was envisaged at the time. Yet more than a quarter of a century later, the rumours circulating in Hollywood are that this is exactly what Scorsese has in mind.
An evergreen theme Greed, corruption, the mob, casinos. They are movie ingredients that transcend the years and never go out of fashion. Casinos, in particular, are a hot topic with global appeal right now, from pokies in Australia to
netticasinot in Finland thanks to the online revolution and the popularity of mobile gaming.
Scorsese was working with Robert De Niro again this year in Killers of the Flower Moon, which also starred Leonardo DiCaprio and is due for release before the end of the year. He recently announced a new project, again with DiCaprio, who will play Theodore Roosevelt. But next year, the veteran producer will turn 80, and the whispers are that he will mark the landmark by teaming up with De Nero one more time for a sequel to their 1995 classic.
The theme of corruption is one that’s been explored time and again in Scorsese and De Niro’s partnerships over the years, from Goodfellas right up to The Irishman and, indeed, Killers of the Flower Moon. Basing the action in and around Sin City always adds an extra special something, however. The pair can’t go on forever – and as
Clint Eastwood’s latest outing demonstrates, it can be dangerous to try. If Casino 2 becomes a reality, it could be the perfect curtain call before retreating to the golf links.
It’s never too late Another potential driver that could lend impetus to a Casino 2 project is the insatiable nostalgia to revisit and reprise film roles from the 1990s that has influenced several new releases in recent months. Jumanji is another from 1995 that has seen a long awaited sequel become a reality – and then there’s the incredible
return of Bill and Ted, back to face the music after a 30 year absence.
If Scorsese and De Niro really do go ahead with Casino 2, it will doubtless fan the flames of gossip that another Vegas-based classic could also be due for a revival and that reports of Danny Ocean’s death have been greatly exaggerated. However, we’ll save those particular rumours for another day.