The “Wag the Dog” duo of Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer David Mamet are teaming up again for the thriller “Assassination”.
According to the synopsis, the story deals with how the head of the Chicago mob ordered the assassination of President John F Kennedy as payback for trying to bring down organized crime after the mob helped put JFK in the White House.
Both Shia LaBeouf and Oscar-winner Al Pacino remain attached with Pacino playing menacing mobster Tony Accardo. When first reported, Courtney Love, Viggo Mortensen and John Travolta were also cast but their status is unknown.
Mamet is co-writing with Nicholas Celozzi, the grandnephew of mob boss Sam Giancana. Celozzi based the material on details shared by his late uncle Pepe (Giancana’s brother).
Previous reports about the film have indicated that it will focus on events that took place 48 hours before the assassination and tells the mob’s version of the story.
Levinson takes over from Mamet who was originally set to direct the movie himself. Mamet and Levinson previously collaborated on the HBO 2013 telemovie about Phil Spector. Levinson previously worked with Pacino three times on films like “Paterno” and “You Don’t Know Jack”.
Corey Large, Jason Sosnoff and Nicholas Celozzi (who is the real Giancana’s grandnephew) produce whilst “There Will Be Blood” lenser Robert Elswitt serves as cinematographer.
Source: Deadline
