Your one-stop shop for novelty betting

The story cut into this month’s cinema newswires like Max Cady on crack: Music and movie fans (not to mention musical movie fans) were certainly stoked to hear that Universal Studios had acquired the rights to shoot a biographical movie on Ratpacker and Ronny Reagan buddy Frank Sinatra; better yet, studio moguls announced that Martin Scorsese was tabbed as director for the flick.

Early 2011 Oscar nominee, Best Costume Design

Naturally, bookmakers Paddy Power wasted no time in making the future casting of this untitled project “more interesting,” releasing odds making up the novelty bet “Who Will Play Frank Sinatra?” (Asterisk-like print follows, for clarity’s sake: “Applies to lead role [age 20s-30s Frank] in Sinatra biopic directed by Martin Scorsese.”)

The lineup from Paddy Power (together with witty commentary from Live Bets Direct) includes the following.Leonardo DiCaprio: 13/8. The clear favorite, with Rolling Stone and Variety magazines basically casting DiCaprio as Blue Eyes already. And why not? DiCaprio and Scorsese have now shot four works together − Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed and Shutter Island (scheduled for October 2009 release) – and reportedly will be doing a Theodore Roosevelt biopic together for a 2011 release. Throwing money Leo’s way is a smart move, methinks.

George Clooney: 9/4. Sure, he’s a draw, but just as surely Scorsese learned from the Coen Brothers. For a part in O Brother, Where Art Thou? that required much singing, tone-deaf Clooney was chosen. The brothers and Miramax ultimately overdubbed all the singing bits.

Johnny Depp: 11/4. A killer actor who disappears into any part he plays, Depp’d make a nice choice for Sinatra. On the other hand, Johnny is not known for biographical parts and his John Dillinger flick Public Enemies comes out this summer.

Harry Connick Jr.: 5/1. Gotta like this choice at these odds. Sinatra is the man’s idol, and you can bet Connick’s agent has already put in the proper calls to the Big Goodfella.

Justin Timberlake: 16/1. Charisma, youth, some talent. This might not actually be so crazy and … nah.

Jamie Foxx: 8/1.
Cate Blanchett: 25/1.
Hugh Grant: 40/1.
Robert DeNiro: 80/1.
Harvey Keitel: 100/1.
Joe Pesci: 150/1.

If you ever wondered why Paddy Power is known worldwide as “the cheeky bookmaker,” the above odds should go some way by way of explanation.

So who’s to like here aside from DiCaprio and Connick? How about “Others on request”? In making up clever long-odds names for the prop bet, the Paddy left off quite a few interesting suggestions. Though Rolling Stone hasn’t been cutting-edge since Cassius Clay refused to go to Vietnam, some readers are slightly more prescient than the bookmaker here.

How about ‘Stone favorites Zac Efron and Chris Pine, Mr. Scorsese? Pine in particular, after his high-profile turn after Captain Kirk in Star Trek, is perfectly poised to make The Leap and a Martin Scorsese film would look great on the résumé.

Right now, though, you gotta love DiCaprio at 13/8. And he’ll do it his way.