Gangs of New York

Gangs of New York
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMartin Scorsese
Screenplay by
Story byJay Cocks
Based onThe Gangs of New York
by Herbert Asbury
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMichael Ballhaus
Edited byThelma Schoonmaker
Music byHoward Shore
Production
companies
Distributed byMiramax Films (United States, Canada and Scandinavia)
20th Century Fox (Italy)
Initial Entertainment Group (International)
Release date
  • December 20, 2002 (2002-12-20)
Running time
168 minutes
CountryUnited States / Italy
LanguageEnglish
Budget$97–100 million
Box office$193.8 million

Gangs of New York is a 2002 American-Italian epic historical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan, based on Herbert Asbury's 1928 book The Gangs of New York. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Cameron Diaz, along with Jim Broadbent, John C. Reilly, Henry Thomas, Stephen Graham, Eddie Marsan, Brendan Gleeson, and Liam Neeson in supporting roles. The film also marks the start of a collaboration between DiCaprio and Scorsese.

The film is set in 1863, when a long-running Catholic–Protestant feud erupts into violence, just as an Irish immigrant group is protesting the threat of conscription during the Civil War. Scorsese spent 20 years developing the project until Miramax Films acquired it in 1999. Principal photography took place in Cinecittà Studios in Rome, and Long Island City, New York City.

Gangs of New York was completed by 2001 but its release was delayed due to the September 11 attacks. The film was theatrically released in the United States on December 20, 2002, and grossed $193.8 million worldwide. It was met with generally positive reviews, and Day-Lewis's performance was highly acclaimed. It received 10 nominations at the 75th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Scorsese and Best Actor for Day-Lewis.