Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' Gets Centerpiece at Rome Film Festival

Three and a half hours! Yes, that's how long the mega project from Martin Scorsese is. Starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci in lead roles, the film has already been the talk-of-the-town ever since the posters have come out. But it is the immensely huge runtime of the film that is still being questioned.

Nevertheless, the viewers will only be able to judge that once the film releases on Netflix. Before that, the film has been doing the rounds of several film festivals already and according to latest reports, the film will be getting the centerpiece at Rome Film Festival.

"The participation of The Irishman as the centerpiece at the Rome Film Fest is a great honor for me and for everyone working at the Fest," said festival director Antonio Monda. "The Irishman is the most highly anticipated film of the year and boasts an exceptional cast: The decision to present it in Rome is yet another acknowledgment of how the fest has grown over the years." 

The Irishman takes place over multiple decades in America, exploring organized crime as seen through the eyes of hitman Frank Sheeran, played by Robert De Niro. Sheeran recalls his possible involvement in the slaying of legendary union boss Jimmy Hoffa, played by Al Pacino.

Based on the Charles Brandt book I Heard You Paint Houses, the film, written by Steven Zaillian, also stars Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin and Stephen Graham.

The film will have its world premiere at the New York Film Festival before playing the London Film Festival and then Rome. It will forego a wide release, as Netflix was not able to reach a compromise on its theatrical windows with major cinema chains. It will play select cinemas in the U.S. on Nov. 1 before dropping on Netflix on Nov. 27.