Directors and their muses: Has Scorsese replaced De Niro?

It seems that Robert De Niro feels that Martin Scorsese has replaced his former muse with a younger model in the form of the director's more recent favourite, Leonardo DiCaprio.

Speaking at a corporate summit in Goa, the Oscar-winner said: "Leonardo DiCaprio is a very serious young actor. He takes it quite seriously. So although DiCaprio has taken my place in Marty's movies, I'm apparently the go-to guy in handing out the hardware.

"I've gotten pretty good at giving out awards but frankly I've gotten out of practice accepting an award myself."

[De Niro, Witherspoon for The Intern]

While De Niro might feel like his partnership with Scorsese is done, it will forever be considered one of cinema's greatest thanks to classic films such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Cape Fear and Goodfellas.

But 'ScorNiro' isn't the only film coupling that deserves celebration. Here are five of the greatest director/actor collaborations of all time. 

'BurDepp

'
Trying to name a recent Tim Burton movie that hasn't featured Johnny Depp takes some Googling - and there's good reason for that. Since their first film together in 1990, Edward Scissorhands, the pair have made several major hits together - from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Sweeney Todd and Alice In Wonderland.

The reason behind their successful relationship? Well, they're both a bit weird. Depp's eccentricities seem to compliment Burton's quirkiness perfectly, resulting in some brilliantly dark, slightly strange (if not always perfect) movies.

'FinchItt'
From his first major role in Se7en to the award-winning The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, David Fincher has had a considerable impact on Brad Pitt's career over the years.

Their greatest collaboration is undoubtedly 1999 drama Fight Club, a cult classic boosted by Pitt's star power but one that allowed the actor explore something away from the mainstream.

'LuhrCaprio...Man'
Baz Luhrmann's list of feature film credits is surprisingly short, but his work over the years has proved that once he's found a muse, he doesn't let go.

Luhrmann first cast favourite leading man Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet in 1996, but it took the pair 17 years to reunite for The Great Gatsby. Fellow Australian Nicole Kidman, meanwhile, has also starred in two of his projects - Moulin Rouge! and Australia.

'NoBale'
While Christopher Nolan famously has a group of favourite actors he likes to work with - Marion Cotillard and Sir Michael Caine among them - his huge success with The Dark Knight trilogy has placed Christian Bale firmly at the top of Nolan's list.

Both serious, committed and intense when it comes to their work, it's a partnership made in heaven - as proved by their excellent 2006 mystery thriller, The Prestige.

'AnderMurray'
They say the secret to a good relationship is a sense of humour, which explains a lot about the chemistry between Wes Anderson and Bill Murray. These two go together like… well, two things that compliment each other a lot.

From The Royal Tenenbaums to The Life Aquatic, they just seem to get one another. Yes, it's all a bit awkward and bizarre - but that's the beauty of it.

Check out the trailer for Scorsese and DiCaprio's latest collaboration, The Wolf of Wall Street, below:

Who did we miss? Are you a Speilberg/Hanks ('SpAnks') fan? Should Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe ('ScRowe') be on the list? Or how about Hitchcock and Grant ('Cock...' OK, we'll stop now). Let us know in the comments below.