Until very recently, Joe Pesci had been living life away from the big screen. In 1999, the actor decided to retire after over thirty years in the business. Back in 2006, though, he returned with a cameo in Robert De Niro-directed The Good Shepherd, and last year he starred opposite Helen Mirren in Love Ranch. Now, ComingSoon.net have it that Pesci will be returning to our screens once more to for Gotti: Three Generations.
Much of Pesci’s career has been based on portraying members of organised crime – Casino, Once Upon a Time in America, Goodfellas (for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor). And now he will finally be returning to a role that we all already know, with absolute certainty, that he will do justice to. He is to star alongside John Travolta, who will be playing John Gotti, Sr., as the mob leader’s close friend and capo, Angelo Ruggiero.
The screenplay has been written by actor/writer Leo Rossi (Analyze This) and will be directed by Nick Cassavetes (The Notebook, Alpha Dog), who I think is perfect for the job; his work on Alpha Dog was so impressive. Lindsay Lohan is also in talks to star as Victoria Gotti, Gotti, Sr.’s daughter. I know a lot of people aren’t very big Lohan fans anymore (or maybe I should say ‘Lindsay’, I vaguely recall that she’s thinking of dropping her surname), but I still think she is a great actress, and hopefully immersing herself in as serious a role as this will set her career and police record back on track.
Gotti: Three Generations will be an inside look on the Gotti family, as told from the perspective of John Gotti, Sr., who is yet to be cast:
“Based on the life of John Gotti, Jr. and his relationship with his infamous father. The movie reveals the relationship of a father who lived and died by the mob code and a son who chose to leave that world behind and redeem himself. Never before has there been such an inside look at the life of one of the Gotti family and their world of danger, betrayal and redemption.”
Doesn’t it just make your spine tingle? I cannot wait for this project to take shape. The casting of Travolta and Pesci, and the predicted Lohan, would certainly suggest that Cassavetes and Fiore Films, who are financing and producing, are looking to stay true to the story and keep its cast Italian-American. As such, I can’t make up my mind as to who I think would make the best Gotti, Jr. Given Travola’s age in comparison to Gotti, Sr.’s, I think it’s a safe bet to assume that whoever plays his son will have to have been born somewhere between the early 1970s and the very early ’80s. Looking down the list at those that fit this criteria, the biggest names that stick out are Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradley Cooper, Chris Evans, Zachary Quinto, Giovanni Ribisi, and Milo Ventimiglia. Whilst all are very, very good actors, I’m not convinced any of them would be quite right for the part, especially considering Gotti, Jr. was not really a lean man, which all six are.
If I had to pick someone, I think I’d go for someone I’ve not mentioned yet, Joe Manganiello (who played Flash Thompson in Spider-Man). He’s been brilliant in all the TV shows I’ve seen him in, and has a much better suited build for the part, but unfortunately I don’t think he’s well known enough to land it. I hope I’m wrong. Either way, I am definitely looking forward to finding out who will be playing Gotti, Jr., and you can be sure that we’ll keep you updated as soon as we hear anything more. Until then, we can be happy with the news that Pesci will be returning to our screens once again for what is sure to be a brilliant performance. With the project set to start principal photography in October this year, we’ll hopefully be treated to more casting news as the months progress until then.
