Why studio executives were furious with Martin Scorsese over The Departed ending

The Departed was one of the most acclaimed movies of the noughties and earned director Martin Scorsese his long-awaited Academy Award for Best Director.

It told the story of a young policeman and a young criminal, both of whom were leading a double life with the enemy.

What are the top 10 most popular shows on Amazon Prime right now?

Tuesday 10 February 2026, 14:38

What are the top 10 most popular shows on Netflix right now?

Monday 9 February 2026, 15:27

It featured one of the most star-studded casts of all time, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen and Mark Wahlberg among the A-listers featured.

In what proved to be a major shock, the main protagonist of the movie, Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) is shot and killed near the climax, while Colin Sullivan (Damon) is also killed.

According to Scorsese, that made him unpopular with studio executives who were keen to turn The Departed into a franchise.

READ MORE: The 10 best Martin Scorsese movies of all time - RANKED

"And then the studio guys walked out, and they were very sad because they just didn't want that movie," the iconic director told GQ about the moment The Departed ended.

"What they wanted was a franchise. It wasn't about a moral issue of a person living or dying. They wanted the franchise. Which means: I can't work here anymore."

The Departed cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Wahlberg, with Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera Farmiga, Alec Baldwin, Anthony Anderson and James Badge Dale

The Departed TV series

The Departed is based on the Chinese crime film Infernal Affairs, which spawned two sequels.

Back in 2016, producer Roy Lee revealed that plans were in development for a television series based on The Departed.

“The Departed as a concept is amazing," he told Collider.

"That’s what attracted me to the story, the two moles working on either side of the law, and translating that idea into other settings with new characters, like how Fargo has taken the feel of the Coen Brother’s film. We were having discussions about making Infernal Affairs a television series. A different city, so it’s not anything like The Departed, but essentially The Departed as a TV series.”