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Oscar-winning director Martin Scorsese has honoured the late Rob Reiner with a heartfelt tribute, remembering the filmmaker as a “fearless storyteller” and naming Misery, Reiner’s 1990 psychological thriller, as his favourite film made by him.
Scorsese’s tribute comes in the wake of Reiner’s tragic death on November 24, 2025, when the beloved director and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found murdered in their Brentwood home. Reiner, known for his wide-ranging body of work that blended commercial success with emotional depth, left behind classics such as This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally… and Misery.
In his message, Scorsese called Reiner “a filmmaker of rare honesty and human insight,” adding that he admired how Reiner navigated diverse genres with clarity and heart. He singled out Misery, the adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling novel, for its bold tonal shifts and intense character work. “It’s not just a great suspense film,” Scorsese said, “it’s a study of performance and fear — and one of the purest examples of Rob’s command over tone and storytelling.”
He wrote, "Right away, I loved hanging out with Rob. We had a natural affinity for each other. He was hilarious and sometimes bitingly funny, but he was never the kind of guy who would take over the room. He had a beautiful sense of uninhibited freedom, fully enjoying the life of the moment, and he had a great barreling laugh."
Scorsese, whose own career has spanned decades and influenced filmmakers around the world, also highlighted Reiner’s generosity as a collaborator and mentor. “Rob didn’t just make films — he made room for the actors, the crew, the audience,” Scorsese noted. “His heart was as big as his talent.”
Many in Hollywood and beyond have shared similar memories of Reiner in the weeks since his passing, painting a picture of a man whose humour, warmth and devotion to cinema endeared him to colleagues old and new. Scorsese’s remarks echo a growing chorus of respect from peers who say Reiner’s legacy will continue to resonate in both mainstream and auteur-driven filmmaking.
Misery, starring James Caan and Kathy Bates (who won an Academy Award for her role), has endured as one of the most chilling and compelling adaptations of Stephen King’s work.
Scorsese’s tribute comes in the wake of Reiner’s tragic death on November 24, 2025, when the beloved director and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found murdered in their Brentwood home. Reiner, known for his wide-ranging body of work that blended commercial success with emotional depth, left behind classics such as This Is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men, When Harry Met Sally… and Misery.
In his message, Scorsese called Reiner “a filmmaker of rare honesty and human insight,” adding that he admired how Reiner navigated diverse genres with clarity and heart. He singled out Misery, the adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling novel, for its bold tonal shifts and intense character work. “It’s not just a great suspense film,” Scorsese said, “it’s a study of performance and fear — and one of the purest examples of Rob’s command over tone and storytelling.”
He wrote, "Right away, I loved hanging out with Rob. We had a natural affinity for each other. He was hilarious and sometimes bitingly funny, but he was never the kind of guy who would take over the room. He had a beautiful sense of uninhibited freedom, fully enjoying the life of the moment, and he had a great barreling laugh."
Scorsese, whose own career has spanned decades and influenced filmmakers around the world, also highlighted Reiner’s generosity as a collaborator and mentor. “Rob didn’t just make films — he made room for the actors, the crew, the audience,” Scorsese noted. “His heart was as big as his talent.”
Many in Hollywood and beyond have shared similar memories of Reiner in the weeks since his passing, painting a picture of a man whose humour, warmth and devotion to cinema endeared him to colleagues old and new. Scorsese’s remarks echo a growing chorus of respect from peers who say Reiner’s legacy will continue to resonate in both mainstream and auteur-driven filmmaking.
Misery, starring James Caan and Kathy Bates (who won an Academy Award for her role), has endured as one of the most chilling and compelling adaptations of Stephen King’s work.
