Scorsese Offered to Direct Flashdance 2 for Free
The legendary filmmaker once pitched himself to helm the sequel without payment, all to secure funding for his controversial religious epic. This desperate move revealed how far he'd go for his art.
Hollywood's landscape has transformed so dramatically that it's nearly impossible to envision another generation like the 'Movie Brats' emerging today. Directors such as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Brian De Palma, and George Lucas grabbed the film industry and molded it according to their vision. With varying levels of achievement and staying power, these five filmmakers achieved something rare in Hollywood: almost everything they created represented personal artistic expression, yet they received major studio financing and nearly complete creative freedom, balancing artistic integrity with commercial appeal.
Today's paths to directorial success are much more restrictive. Some filmmakers begin with low-budget independent movies before moving up to big-budget productions, like Gareth Edwards, Colin Trevorrow, or Taika Waititi. Others get thrown directly into major projects and must prove themselves quickly, which hasn't worked out well for directors like Carl Rinsch. Ryan Coogler appears positioned to break this pattern, but even before gaining the freedom to create Sinners, his previous three movies were the seventh Rocky film, a superhero adaptation, and its sequel.
A Desperate Bargain
Scorsese has rarely worked as a director-for-hire, but he did volunteer himself for such a role once. His closest experiences as a hired filmmaker came with The Color of Money and Cape Fear, both excellent movies that bear his distinctive signature. However, when circumstances became dire and he struggled to get The Last Temptation of Christ produced, the acclaimed director was prepared to compromise his artistic principles for financing.
'We cut the shooting days down to 55 days, 55 days, all shot in Israel very quickly, and the budget down to $7.8 million, then to $6 million, including the $4 million we already spent. No salary for me,' he told Mary Pat Kelly. 'And I told [Jeffrey] Katzenberg I would do Flashdance 2, if he wanted.'
The Original's Massive Success
Adrian Lyne's dance-focused romance became a box office phenomenon, earning $200 million worldwide and ranking as 1983's second-biggest hit, trailing only Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. While not considered a cinematic masterpiece due to its questionable quality as a film, the soundtrack achieved legendary status, capturing an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and three Grammys.
An alternative reality exists where Flashdance's legacy connects with two of that era's most unique filmmakers. David Cronenberg had already declined an opportunity to direct the original, which would have created something extraordinary. Meanwhile, Scorsese proposed himself for the follow-up, provided it guaranteed his religious drama would receive funding.
What Never Came to Pass
Surprisingly, in an industry where successful movies typically spawn sequels within days of proving profitable, Flashdance never received a follow-up. Scorsese probably felt relieved, even though directing it would have represented the most intriguing project of his career, though for entirely unconventional reasons. His passion project eventually reached theaters, but he had been willing to sacrifice his artistic reputation to make it happen.