New Mr. Scorsese documentary looks like a winner [Now streaming!]

Few film directors have more staying power than Martin Scorsese, famous for decades for early work like Taxi Driver (1976), mid-career achievements like Goodfellas (1990) and recent hits like Killers of the Flower Moon (2023). And on Friday you can stream a five-part documentary series about his life and work on Apple TV. 

Reviews so far are positive — to say the least. “Mr. Scorsese is the best behind-the-scenes reel you’ll ever get to see of the famed director,” raved the Los Angeles Times. “Five hours isn’t nearly long enough to do justice to history’s greatest film-maker,” said The Guardian. And The New York Times called the documentary “a captivating and charismatic profile.”

Read more about the series and watch the Mr. Scorsese trailer and previous teaser trailer below.

Mr. Scorsese documentary series trailer: An intimate portrait of a visionary filmmaker

Martin Scorsese almost got his gun over Taxi Driver cuts

August 11, 2025: Director Martin Scorsese gets deeply philosophical about the “struggle” to understand and convey human nature in the new trailer Apple TV+ dropped Wednesday for Mr. Scorsese, an upcoming five-part docuseries about the legendary filmmaker. Who are we? Are we inherently good or evil? Where are we going? But amid all that doubt, he knew he could tell stories with pictures — and that he had to “go his own way” in Hollywood.

Scorsese scared colleagues like Steven Spielberg when he threatened to get a gun and use it on the people who wanted to tone down the bloody violence in the now-classic film Taxi Driver (1976) with Robert De Niro. Needless to say, he never did that, but it’s fun as hell to hear him talk about it in the new clip Apple TV+ dropped Monday for upcoming documentary series Mr. Scorsese, along with a couple of photos. You can watch the teaser trailer below.

The ambitious five-part documentary series explores the life and legendary career of Academy Award-winning filmmaker Scorsese. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Rebecca Miller, the series will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on October 17.

The recently released clip offers viewers unprecedented access to Scorsese and his circle of filmmaker friends, including Steven Spielberg, as they reflect on a pivotal moment in cinema history. The preview reveals how the director’s cut of Taxi Driver nearly never reached audiences. It showcases the extreme lengths Scorsese was willing to go to protect what would become one of his most iconic and culturally significant films.

Comprehensive look at his life

Mr. Scorsese presents a comprehensive examination of how the director’s colorful life experiences shaped his distinctive artistic vision. Each film in Scorsese’s remarkable catalog has stunned audiences worldwide with its originality, and this documentary traces that creative journey from his earliest work as a New York University film student through to the present day.

The series delves deep into the recurring themes that have fascinated Scorsese throughout his career, particularly his exploration of good and evil in human nature. With exclusive, unrestricted access to Scorsese’s private archives, the documentary creates an intimate portrait of the man behind the camera, revealing how his extraordinary career and unique personal history converged to redefine filmmaking.

Director Rebecca Miller expressed her excitement about the project, calling it “a filmmaker’s dream” to have such unprecedented access to industry legends.

“I was honored he trusted me to create this documentary, which I believe will resonate with everyone from dedicated Scorsese fans to anyone who has grappled with failure and reached for stars,” Miller said. She particularly highlighted the inclusion of a never-before-told story about Taxi Driver and how Scorsese’s perseverance and dedication to his art ensured the film retained its integrity.

Watch the teaser trailer for Mr. Scorsese

Star-studded lineup of interviews

The documentary series is anchored by extensive conversations with Scorsese himself, complemented by never-before-seen interviews with an impressive roster of collaborators, friends, and family members. The lineup includes frequent Scorsese collaborators Robert De Niro, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Leonardo DiCaprio, alongside music legends Mick Jagger and Robbie Robertson.

Other notable participants include longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker, Sharon Stone, Jodie Foster, screenwriter Paul Schrader, and contemporary stars Margot Robbie and Cate Blanchett. The series also features insights from cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, screenwriter Jay Cocks, and intimate perspectives from Scorsese’s children, wife Helen Morris, and close childhood friends.

Read more about the new Mr. Scorsese documentary series on Apple TV+ below.

You lookin’ at Martin Scorsese? Yes, in Apple TV+’s new 5-part documentary.

May 22, 2025: The upcoming Mr. Scorsese documentary series will be a comprehensive five-part film portrait of legendary director Martin Scorsese — the man behind the camera, over a decades-long career, on films ranging from Taxi Driver to Killers of the Flower Moon — the streamer said Thursday.

Directed by filmmaker Rebecca Miller, the series promises an unprecedented look into the life and work of one of cinema’s most influential figures. But we don’t know the release date yet.

5-part Mr. Scorsese documentary series brings the legendary director’s life to Apple TV+

Famed filmmaker Scorsese, an international household name for so long and so consistently he needs no introduction, will be the subject, not the director, of the new documentary series on Apple TV+. Director Rebecca Miller, known for her work on She Came to Me and Personal Velocity, spent five years crafting this intimate portrait of Scorsese. What began as a single documentary evolved into a five-part series as Miller gained exclusive, unrestricted access to Scorsese’s private archives and personal history, Apple TV+ said.

“I am so grateful to have been given the artistic freedom and access to create a cinematic portrait of one of our greatest living artists, Martin Scorsese,” Miller said. “His work and life are so vast and so compelling that the piece evolved from one to five parts over a five-year period; crafting this documentary alongside my longtime collaborators has been one of the defining experiences of my life as a filmmaker.”

Extensive conversations with Scorsese anchor the series, the streamer said. The chats offer viewers direct insight into his creative process and personal philosophy. The project also features never-before-seen interviews with an impressive roster of collaborators, friends and family members.

Star-studded cast of contributors

The Mr. Scorsese documentary series brings together many of the director’s most frequent collaborators and Hollywood luminaries. Robert De Niro, who appeared in eight Scorsese films including Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas, provides insights into their decades-long creative partnership. Leonardo DiCaprio, who has worked with Scorsese on five films including The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street, and most recently Apple Original Film Killers of the Flower Moon, also contributes.

Other notable participants include Daniel Day-Lewis, Mick Jagger, Robbie Robertson, longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker, Steven Spielberg, Sharon Stone, Jodie Foster, Paul Schrader, Margot Robbie, Cate Blanchett, Jay Cocks and cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto. The series also features intimate perspectives from Scorsese’s family, including his children, wife Helen Morris and close childhood friends.

Exploring Scorsese’s cinematic legacy

The documentary examines how Scorsese’s personal experiences shaped his artistic vision, tracing his journey from his New York University student films to his current status as a master filmmaker. Throughout his career, Scorsese has explored recurring themes that fascinate him, particularly the complex relationship between good and evil in human nature.

Scorsese’s filmmaking style, heavily influenced by his Italian-American background and New York City upbringing, has consistently centered on exploring crime, machismo, nihilism, and Catholic concepts of guilt and redemption. His trademark techniques include extensive use of slow motion and freeze frames, voice-over narration, graphic depictions of violence and liberal use of profanity. These stylistic elements, first established in his breakout film Mean Streets (1973), served as a blueprint for much of his later work.

A career spanning decades of excellence (and controversy)

The documentary will likely cover Scorsese’s most celebrated works, including his Palme d’Or-winning Taxi Driver (1976), which starred Robert De Niro as a disturbed Vietnam veteran (“You lookin’ at me?”). His collaboration with De Niro proved to be one of cinema’s most fruitful partnerships, spanning films like New York, New York (1977), the boxing masterpiece Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1982), the crime epic Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), and the recent Netflix film The Irishman (2019).

In later decades, Scorsese found similar success collaborating with Leonardo DiCaprio on films including Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), the Academy Award-winning The Departed (2006), Shutter Island (2010) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). The director’s range extends beyond crime dramas to include diverse works like After Hours (1985), The Color of Money (1986), the controversial The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), the period piece The Age of Innocence (1993), the Dalai Lama biography Kundun (1997), the family film Hugo (2011) and the spiritual epic Silence (2016).

Mr. Scorsese documentary series: Beyond feature films

Scorsese’s influence extends beyond theatrical releases into television and documentary work. He has directed episodes for HBO series including Boardwalk Empire and Vinyl, as well as documentaries like Public Speaking and the Netflix series Pretend It’s a City. His rock documentaries, including The Last Waltz (1978), No Direction Home (2005) and Shine a Light (2008), showcase his passion for music and its intersection with cinema.

As a passionate advocate for film preservation, Scorsese has founded three nonprofit organizations: The Film Foundation in 1990, the World Cinema Foundation in 2007 and the African Film Heritage Project in 2017. They demonstrate his commitment to preserving cinematic heritage for future generations.

Production team, other Apple TV+ docs

Emmy Award-nominated trio Damon Cardasis, Cindy Tolan and Rebecca Miller serve as executive producers of Mr. Scorsese, alongside Rick Yorn, Christopher Donnelly and Julie Yorn. Ron Burkle produces, while Robert Fernandez and Patrick Walmsley serve as co-executive producers. Expanded Media and Round Films present the series in association with LBI Entertainment and Moxie Pictures.

Mr. Scorsese joins Apple TV+’s impressive slate of original documentaries, including the Emmy and Critics Choice Award-winning STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie, the Emmy-nominated Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces and an upcoming untitled Fleetwood Mac documentary.

Watch Martin Scorsese’s work on Apple TV+

While you wait for the Mr. Scorsese documentary series, you can stream quite a lot of the man’s work on Apple TV+. It’s available by subscription for $9.99 with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle. Customers who buy a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.

After launching in November 2019, “Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 625 wins and 2,817 award nominations and counting,” the service said.

Apple TV+ is home to more than 200 exclusive movies and TV shows (including breakout soccer comedy Ted Lasso). The service also offers documentaries, dramas, comedies, kids shows and more.

Source: Apple TV+, Wikipedia, Cult of Mac

This Mr. Scorsese documentary series post first published on May 22, 2025. It republished with a new trailer, photos and information on August 11, 2025 and again on October 1, 2025 and October 17, 2025.