In 1988, [[Steven Spielberg]] offered Scorsese the opportunity to direct ''[[Schindler's List]]'', believing that he wasn't mature enough as a filmmaker to tackle the story.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Thompson|first=Anne|title=Spielberg and 'Schindler's List': How it came together|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=January 21, 1994|url=https://ew.com/article/1994/01/21/spielberg-and-schindlers-list-how-it-came-together/|access-date=June 1, 2020|archive-date=May 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528214820/https://ew.com/article/1994/01/21/spielberg-and-schindlers-list-how-it-came-together/|url-status=live}}</ref> Scorsese developed it with screenwriter [[Steven Zaillian]], but felt that Spielberg would be better to tell the story, as he was Jewish.,<ref name="CannesEpic"/> and was still facing backlash for ''The Last Temptation of Christ''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bergeson |first=Samantha |date=May 17, 2023 |title=Why Martin Scorsese Gave ‘Schindler’s List’ to Steven Spielberg After ‘Last Temptation of Christ’ Backlash |work=[[IndieWire]] |url=https://www.indiewire.com/news/breaking-news/martin-scorsese-schindlers-list-spielberg-last-temptation-of-christ-controversy-1234864545/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250331214907/https://www.indiewire.com/news/breaking-news/martin-scorsese-schindlers-list-spielberg-last-temptation-of-christ-controversy-1234864545/ |archive-date=March 31, 2025}}</ref> Spielberg similarly wanted to work on the film again, so he arranged for Scorsese to direct ''[[Cape Fear (1991 film)|Cape Fear]]'', which he had been developing, while Spielberg would return to ''Schindler's List''.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=January 21 |first1=Anne Thompson |last2=EST |first2=1994 at 05:00 AM |title=From the EW archives: How Steven Spielberg brought 'Schindler's List' to life |url=https://ew.com/article/1994/01/21/spielberg-and-schindlers-list-how-it-came-together/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=EW.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bergeson |first=Samantha |date=2023-05-17 |title=Why Martin Scorsese Gave 'Schindler's List' to Steven Spielberg After 'Last Temptation of Christ' Backlash |url=https://www.indiewire.com/news/breaking-news/martin-scorsese-schindlers-list-spielberg-last-temptation-of-christ-controversy-1234864545/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=[[IndieWire]]}}</ref>
===''Robbie Robertson and Friends'' documentary===
