Martin Scorsese's next two film projects have both reportedly been delayed indefinitely.

The 81-year-old - widely regarded as one of the best directors of all time - had originally been due to start work on The Life of Jesus, an adaptation of Shusaku Eno's 1973 novel, this year.

That project would have been followed up straight afterwards by a new biopic about legendary crooner Frank Sinatra, rumoured to be starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead role opposite Jennifer Lawrence.

According to Variety, however, production on both movies is now on hold with no set date on the horizon for when filming may take place.

The publication speculates that potential objections from the Sinatra estate may be hampering that film's development, while the biblical project is being self-funded by Scorsese and supposedly remains a work in progress.

Scorsese's most recent big-screen project, Killers of the Flower Moon, was released to much acclaim in 2023 and received 10 Academy Award nominations.