Martin Scorsese , the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind some of cinema’s most iconic works, had planned to begin shooting two highly anticipated films back-to-back this year. One was a biblical epic, “ The Life of Jesus ,” based on Shūsaku Endō’s 1973 novel, and the other was a biopic about legendary singer Frank Sinatra . However, Variety has learned that both projects have been postponed, and neither will be filmed this year.

Scorsese’s “The Life of Jesus” was expected to be the first of the two projects to go into production. Although no official cast has been announced, one source with direct knowledge tells Variety the film is still in development. Scorsese is committed to making the movie about the Christian leader, which he is reportedly financing independently . He took a similar approach to his 2016 epic drama “Silence,” also adapted from an Endō novel. The filmmaker hoped to shoot in Israel, Italy, and Egypt, but these locations have yet to be confirmed. Based on Endō’s novel, “The Life of Jesus” promises to explore Christ’s complex human and divine aspects, much like Scorsese’s earlier work in “The Last Temptation of Christ.” No official casting for the film has been announced, but notable names like Oscar nominee Andrew Garfield have been rumored to be circling the project.

As for the Sinatra biopic, which has garnered a great deal of industry buzz, the film seemed further along with a projected November start date. According to multiple sources said to be involved in the production, key personnel who had signed on to the Sinatra project were informed in mid-August that the November commencement date had been canceled, with no rescheduled date in sight.

Scorsese has been planning to bring Ol’ Blue Eyes to the big screen since the project was first announced in 2009. That version was to be produced by Universal Pictures and Mandalay Pictures, with Phil Alden Robinson writing the screenplay. No studio has yet committed, although Apple and Sony had been rumored to be interested.

One key question surrounding the Sinatra film is whether it has obtained the approval of the Sinatra estate, which his daughter Tina Sinatra oversees. The estate’s blessing is crucial, considering that the film would delve into a sensitive period in the singer’s life. Rumored to have Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence in talks to star, the film would focus on Sinatra’s tumultuous marriage to actress Ava Gardner, a relationship that shook Hollywood and contributed to the breakdown of his first marriage to Nancy Barbato, mother of Sinatra’s daughter Tina. Without the family’s formal endorsement, the film’s future remains uncertain.

Despite these setbacks, Scorsese, now 81, has a lot on his plate. The legendary filmmaker keeps busy with numerous executive producer credits, including Celina Murga’s “The Freshly Cut Grass,” a captivating drama exploring infidelity, which premiered at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. He’s also joining forces with Steven Spielberg on a “Cape Fear” TV series for Apple TV+. The duo will serve as executive producers of the project, inspired by the 1991 and 1962 Universal films. (Scorsese directed the 1991 neo-noir thriller, which Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment produced.)

With an extraordinary career spanning six decades , Scorsese is currently the most nominated living director at the Academy Awards, with 10 nominations for best director — second only to William Wyler, who holds the record with 12. Scorsese finally received his own Oscar for the best picture-winning thriller “The Departed” (2006).