Martin Scorsese to Remake ‘The Gambler’

Famed Hollywood director Martin Scorsese is signing on for a remake of 1974 hit film "The Gambler," according to reports coming out of news agencies in Tinseltown.

DiCaprio to star?

Scorsese always aims high, and this time is no different, with Leonardo DiCaprio slated to play the main role - that of a legendary New York English professor who suffers from a secret gambling addiction.

DiCaprio has not signed on as yet, although he is known to be close to Scorsese. He first starred in one of the director's films with "Gangs of New York" in 2002, and has since featured in "The Aviator," "The Departed" and "Shutter Island."

Original director not pleased

The film's remake is not without some controversy. It's original writer and director, James Toback, is rumored to be unhappy about the news, which it seems he was not informed about before Scorsese met with Paramount, who own the rights.

Toback, who is actually friends with both Scorsese and DiCaprio, vented in an email to Hollywood e-zine Deadline: "Maybe that's all anyone gives a [expletive] about: whether something is legal."

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