Why did Martin Scorsese label this ambitious romantic fantasy film as completely unfilmable?

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Akiva Goldsman’s 2014 directorial debut, Winter’s Tale, attempted to capture the grand, metaphysical sweep of Mark Helprin’s 1983 novel. Despite a star-studded cast and a massive production effort, the film became a notorious box office bomb, leaving critics divided over its sincerity and its ability to translate magic to screen.

The journey of Winter’s Tale began long before its 2014 release. Warner Bros. initially approached Martin Scorsese in 2002 to helm the project, but he famously declined, deeming the source material unfilmable. The project eventually became a passion project for Akiva Goldsman, who secured a $75 million budget in 2011. By the time production began in October 2012, the budget had been adjusted to $60 million, and the shoot faced significant delays due to Hurricane Sandy. The film utilized locations across New York City, including Grand Central Terminal and Central Park, with cinematography by Caleb Deschanel using Arri Alexa digital cameras.

The narrative follows Peter Lake, a thief in 1916 New York who falls in love with Beverly Penn, a woman dying of tuberculosis. Their story is framed by a supernatural conflict between Peter and his former mentor, a demon posing as a gangster named Pearly Soames. After a confrontation on the Brooklyn Bridge, Peter survives a fall and wanders for a century with amnesia, only to discover in 2014 that his true destiny involves saving a young girl named Abby. The film’s complex mythology, involving winged horses and celestial destinies, was met with widespread critical derision.

Upon release, the film grossed only $30.8 million worldwide against its significant budget. Reviewers were largely harsh; Rotten Tomatoes reports a 12% approval rating, with critics citing a lack of emotional depth and a nonsensical plot. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian famously suggested the experience could only be improved by releasing a man-eating badger into the theater. However, the film found some defenders, including Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times, who admired its fearless sincerity, and author Neil Gaiman, who defended the work. Despite the negative consensus, the film remains a curious case study in the risks of adapting high-concept, metaphysical literature for a modern Hollywood audience.

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