His relationship with HBO is already fruitful thanks to the success of Boardwalk Empire, and Martin Scorsese is again teaming with the network for his upcoming drama pilot about a hard-partying New York rock and roll executive in 1977, and he's tapped an actor from Boardwalk to play the lead.

Bobby Cannavale, who played Gyp Rosetti in Boardwalk Empire season 3, is in talks to play Richie Finestra in the as-of-now untitled pilot that Scorsese will both produce and direct, with Boardwalk showrunner Terrence Winter serving as a writer and producer, and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger - who previously worked with Scorsese on the Stones' doc Shine a Light and came up with this concept - will also serve as a producer.

Yes, a rock drama from the mind of Mick Jagger that brings Scorsese back to the grimey streets of New York in the 1970s. It's a wonder that this took so long to come together, but apparently Jagger has been shopping this around for quite some time, primarily as a film idea.

The project has been at HBO since the fall of 2011, but this is the first real movement that we've seen in quite some time. It's a mystery as to why that is, but perhaps part of it is that HBO and Scorsese just needed to find the right leading man for the job.

Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger new HBO series

A gifted theater actor known more for his character work on TV and in film, Cannavale could be that right fit as he seems to have that perfect New York vibe and the ability to play both light and imposing - something that could play very well with a project that seems poised to alternate between the Fenestra character's party life and his job.

How much of that job will we see, though? The show will reportedly focus on the intersection of punk, disco, and hip hop music in the late 70s, but will we see representations of those bands and acts? Is someone going to portray Patti Smith? Will there be a re-creation of CBGB and The Mudd Club? How can there not be?

Beyond the look and the feel of the show, though, the sound is something to really anticipate. Scorsese is more than a master at setting a mood through music, so the soundtrack for this show could be epic and maybe even a revenue stream whose potential might be a factor when it comes time for HBO to decide between this project and one of the others they have in contention. After-all, every little bit helps, right?

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Keep an eye on Screen Rant for updates on the Untitled Scorsese/Jagger project.

Source: THR