Mark Twain once quipped, “Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind it, it doesn’t matter.” When it comes to Martin Scorsese, age certainly isn’t making a difference. After landing 10 Oscar nominations for last year’s historical crime epic “Killers of the Flower Moon,” the 81-year-old director has mapped out his next several projects. Sources say he plans to shoot two films back to back: the first about Jesus, the second a Frank Sinatra biopic.

The Oscar-winning director who helped usher in the Hollywood New Wave of the 1970s is looking to bypass the studio system and independently finance “Life of Jesus,” based on Shūsaku Endō’s 1973 book. He took the same approach with the 2016 drama “Silence” (which also was adapted from an Endō novel). In fact, Scorsese would like to reunite with “Silence” star Andrew Garfield for the Jesus project, though it’s unclear if the 40-year-old actor is being eyed for the titular role or to play one of the disciples. (Scholars believe Jesus died sometime between the ages of 33 and 38.) Miles Teller has also been eyed for the picture. Production is expected to begin later this year and shoot in Israel, Italy and Egypt. Filming in Israel could prove too great of a logistical challenge given that the country is at war with Hamas in Gaza. (A rep for Scorsese declined comment.)

While Martin Scorsese is celebrating his latest epic “Killers of the Flower Moon” on the awards circuit, the filmmaker is already teasing what could be his next movie, based on Shūsaku Endō’s book “A Life of Jesus.” (Endō also wrote “Silence,” which Scorsese adapted into the 2016 historical drama starring Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver.)

Scorsese revealed in a new interview with The Los Angeles Times that his next religious film will be set mostly in the present day, but, according to the paper, “Scorsese doesn’t want to be locked into a certain period, because he wants the film to feel timeless.” Plus, he envisions the film will clock in at around 80 minutes, a stark contrast to “Flower Moon’s” 206-minute runtime. Per the L.A. Times, the movie will focus on “Jesus’ core teachings in a way that explores the principles but doesn’t proselytize.”

“I’m trying to find a new way to make it more accessible and take away the negative onus of what has been associated with organized religion,” Scorsese told the publication. “Right now, ‘religion,’ you say that word and everyone is up in arms because it’s failed in so many ways. But that doesn’t mean necessarily that the initial impulse was wrong. Let’s get back. Let’s just think about it. You may reject it. But it might make a difference in how you live your life — even in rejecting it. Don’t dismiss it offhand. That’s all I’m talking about. And I’m saying that as a person who’s going to be 81 in a couple of days.”

Scorsese has already finished writing the screenplay for the Jesus movie with critic and filmmaker Kent Jones, who made his feature debut with the 2018 indie drama “Diane.” According to the L.A. Times, Scorsese plans to shoot the movie later this year.