Robert De Niro and Robert De Niro will star in Warner Bros. Discovery first big bet: a mafia picture
While Warner Bros. Discovery has been busy fretting over their DC Comics slate—deleting the already-completed “Batgirl” film while hoping Ezra Miller’s intention to seek mental health help will bring enough stability to successfully launch “The Flash” next year—the newly-formed entertainment entity is placing a bet on another American superhero: Robert De Niro.
And it’s not just a bet, they’re doubling down.
The first original film produced with David Zaslav as the top executive at the studio will feature the two-time Oscar-winner (and eight-time nominee) in two roles. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Wise Guys” concerns the true mafia war between Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, and De Niro will play both men. This will be an acting feat like Jeremy Irons in “Dead Ringers,” but trading gynecological instruments for zabaglione.
The script comes from a guy who knows a thing or two about the New York City mob: Nicholas Pileggi, whose book “Wiseguy” he co-adapted with Martin Scorsese to become “GoodFellas.” He did the same with his book and screenplay for “Casino.” Pileggi also served as an executive producer on “The Irishman.”
Irwin Winkler, the “Rocky” producer who was also behind “GoodFellas” and “Raging Bull” and also directed De Niro in “Guilty By Suspicion” and “Night and the City,” is producing this one. Barry Levinson, who directed De Niro in “Wag The Dog” and “What Just Happened,” and won the Best Director Oscar for “Rain Man,” will be helming. Imagine the lunches these four guys will have.
“Wise Guys” is certainly a project loaded with veterans, but whether this makes for a box office win is tough to say. “The Irishman” was extremely well-received by critics and people who fire off memes on Twitter, and got plenty of Awards season play, but its streaming debut makes it hard to gauge from a dollars-and-cents perspective. Levinson remains active (and 2012’s stripped-down action-horror picture “The Bay” is something of a find) but to find his last big win with mainstream ticket-buyers you might have to go back to “Sphere” from 1998. His latest project, “The Survivor,” is a favorite at this year’s Emmy Awards in the TV Movie category.
Nevertheless, with a Mount Rushmore of elder statesmen putting this thing together, A-list talent (dare I suggest younger talent?) will likely be breaking thumbs just to be considered for a part. Harry Styles and Timothée Chalamet can duke it out to play Vincent “The Chin” Gigante, for example. If De Niro is playing the two leads, clearly all bets are off on this one.
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