Martin Scorses's Off Screen Drama: SILENCE

Will Martin Scorsese ever get around to adapting  Shusaku Endo's Silence? That's what frustrated fans of the book want to know and now the production company behind the adaptation is suing Scorsese for seemingly putting Silence on the backburner yet again. According to the Hollywood Reporter they've been trying to get the film made since 1990!
Last December when Scorsese was doing pr for HUGO, and with a whole slew of possible projects in his future, he had this to say on Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode’s Radio Five show:  “I’m hoping to do Endo’s book next, Silence… Not hoping, we’re literally pulling all the elements together at this point.”
Now the production company, Cecchi Gori Pictures, claims it entered into several agreements with Scorsese and invested $750,000 into the project but once again Scorsese has failed to act. On the flip side Scorsese and company paid a million plus dollars in order to delay the projects while he shot other films.


A Scorsese spokesperson had this to say
It is shocking to us that the lawyers for Cecchi Gori Pictures would file a suit pursuing such absurd claims considering the amicable working relationship existing between Martin Scorsese and the principals of Cecchi Gori Pictures.The claims asserted are completely contradicted by, inconsistent with, and contrary to the express terms of an agreement entered into by the parties last year.
The lawsuit filing on the eve of Mr. Scorsese starting another picture has all the earmarks of a media stunt.
Mr. Scorsese is confident that he will prevail in court should Cecchi Gori Pictures actually pursue this meritless action."

At some point Daniel Day-Lewis was signed on to play the Jesuit priest but at this point who knows!

Very briefly here's the story line from the Barnes and Noble site.
A novel of historical fiction, it is the story of a Jesuit missionary sent to seventeenth century Japan, who endured persecution that followed the defeat of the Shimbara Rebellion