One of the most bizarre reports in recent days, which first originated from the British tabloids, has been denied by both parties involved.
The reports indicated Oscar winner Robert De Niro was set to reprise his role of Travis Bickle from Martin Scorsese’s iconic late 1970s neo-noir thriller “Taxi Driver” for a U.K. ad campaign for the ride-sharing service Uber.
It’s a bizarre fit and prompted the film’s screenwriter Paul Schrader to slam the idea in a Facebook post, saying: “Ouch. Why Bob would do this is beyond my reckoning…But I haven’t seen it. If I’m lucky I never will.”
Now, in a statement to Variety, Uber has confirmed that while De Niro will be seen later in the year in the U.K. as a pitchman for the service – they made it quite clear the campaign does not have a “Taxi Driver” theme.
They say: “We are filming with Robert De Niro in London for a new Uber UK campaign, which will launch later in the year.”
A De Niro spokesman also confirmed the actor is not reviving the Bickle character for the ad, nor will he be using the character’s famous line: “You talkin’ to me?'”.
De Niro will next be seen in Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” opening next month.
