Martin Scorsese to direct Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton biopic, Furious Love?

When the Vatican takes time out of their busy schedule(*snort*) to publicly smack down your relationship, that's when you know you've hit the celebrity big time. Such was the case for Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who had their torid affair back in the 1960s labeled "erotic vagrancy" when it first started while on the set of the wildly expensive Cleopatra film. Their public get togethers were the talk of Tinseltown, and now they're set to make headlines once again as Paramount has optioned the rights to the book, Furious Love, with Martin Scorsese circling the directing gig.

The book was published just last year, written by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger, following the heated and often tumultuous romance between Burton and Taylor. Deadline, who broke the story, notes that interest in the book has skyrocketed in the wake of Elizabeth Taylor's death just a few months ago. A number of studios were pursuing the film rights, with Paramount winning out.

The relationship between Taylor and Burton is tailor made for the big screen. The two met on the set of Cleopatra, and were rumored to be an item soon after. The problem is both were already in established relationships. Taylor was married to Eddie Fisher, who she had "stolen" away from actress Debbie Reynolds. Burton was hitched to producer Sybil Williams. They would soon divorce their significant others, and marry in 1964. They would divorce a decade later in 1974, only to get married again in 1975. Their second go'round would last a year.

This is exactly the type of film you'd expect from Scorsese, a devoted classic film fanatic. He has a particular fondness for stories on some of Hollywood's biggest personalities. Take his 2004 film, The Aviator, as an example. 

Scorsese is currently putting the finishing touches on his 3D fantasy film, Hugo Cabret, due out in theaters on November 23rd.