As we reported a couple of months ago, Martin Scorsese's next film, The Irishman, is moving along nicely and casting is already underway.

It's been confirmed that the long-retired Joe Pesci will not be involved, despite both Scorsese and DeNiro's attempts to bring him back whilst Harvey Keitel and Al Pacino are both signed on to appear in as-yet undisclosed roles. It's now also been confirmed that the film is set to enter production in 2017 with a view to a 2018 release.

The film follows Frank Sheeran, a real-life assassin who confessed - on his death-bed - to the murder of Teamsters' Union boss Jimmy Hoffa in the '60s. Sheeran was close friends with Jimmy Hoffa, however according to Sheeran, he turned on Hoffa over the union boss' desire to see John F. Kennedy assassinated.

Charles Brandt's true-crime novel, I Heard You Paint Houses, is the basis of the film itself and it makes for a fascinating read. Considering The Irishman won't be released between now and 2018, you've got time to read it.