'Goncharov' explained: How Martin Scorsese's mythical 'lost' movie gripped internet
'Goncharov', a film that never was.
The Internet can be a weird place. While it has proved to be an invaluable source of information and knowledge bigger than any library in history, it can also spread fake or unverified news like wildfire, which in turn can be damaging to people in the real world. Sometimes, though, myths are spread deliberately as a joke, and many others are in on the joke. Others, though, are just confused about whether the said myth really is a myth or now. Such is the case with 'Goncharov' a film that never was. It was purportedly directed by that king of mafia movies (some might simply say king of movies in general) Martin Scorsese.
'Goncharov', if some netizens are to be believed, starred Scorsese regulars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Harvey Keitel, among others, and released in 1973, without much fanfare and marketing. Thus, the obscurity. But what exactly is 'Goncharov' and why the internet is obsessed with a movie that does not exist?
Also Read:Why Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, et al. are right about Marvel movies
What is 'Goncharov'?
As explained above, 'Goncharov' was directed by Scorsese and released in 1973. And yes, it featured De Niro in the titular role of Goncharov. Goncharov was a former discotheque owner who comes to Naples after the fall of the Soviet Union to become a mob boss. Keitel plays the role of the eye-patched Andrey “The Banker” Daddano. Gene Hackman is Valery Michailov. Al Pacino stars as Mario Ambrosini.Cybill Shepherd essays Goncharov’s wife, Katya. The film was acclaimed (though, certainly not a blockbuster), and was even added to Criterion Collection.
Why have I never heard of it before?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
Because it does not exist. There has never been a movie by that name. And no, no movie titled 'Goncharov' even went into production and was later cancelled. Scorsese never wrote a script or even a treatment for any such film. The film is an internet myth popularised through Tumblr, a social networking site that has a small but active user base.
How did the myth of 'Goncharov' begin?
A few years ago, a user on Tumblr shared a photo depicting knockoff boots they had ordered online. In the boots, there was a text with very strange text. It read, “The greatest mafia movie ever made. Martin Scorsese presents GONCHAROV. Domenico Proccacci production. A film by Matteo JWHJ0715. About the Naples Mafia.”
However, the myth of 'Goncharov' did not blow up until 2020. Another user reblogged a comment on the original post, which went something like "this idiot hasn't seen goncharov.” Of course, the idiot hadn't. They couldn't have. The film did not exist. The comment was meant to be funny. And then a Tumblr user called beelzeebub even made a totally fake poster of 'Goncharov'. It did blow up, and suddenly Scorsese's non-film came into existence.