The Irishman: Scorsese film to close London Film Festival

Martin Scorsese's latest film, The Irishman, will be shown for the first time outside the US at the BFI London Film Festival.

The Oscar-winning director said he's "extremely honoured" the crime film will be played at the festival's closing night gala on 13 October.

Scorsese and the film's stars, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, are due to attend.

The world premiere will be at the New York Film Festival two weeks prior.

The Irishman examines the influence of organised crime in post-war America, as told through the eyes of World War Two veteran-turned-hustler and hitman, Frank Sheeran - played by De Niro.

It sees Scorsese reunite with Gangs of New York screenwriter Steve Zaillian, who has adapted the film from Charles Brandt's novel, I Heard You Paint Houses,

"This picture was many years in the making," said Scorsese.

"It's a project that Robert De Niro and I started talking about a long time ago, and we wanted to make it the way it needed to be made."

He added: "It's also a picture that all of us could only have made at this point in our lives. We're all very excited to be bringing The Irishman to London.

Earlier in the year there was speculation around whether or not the Netflix-backed movie would appear at the Cannes Film Festival in May - due to the French festival's ongoing debate with the streaming giants.

There was also suggestion that the film might not have been ready on time and in the end, it wasn't shown.

The BFI London Film Festival takes place from 2 -13 October 2019.

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