Showbiz411

UPDATE: Exclusive.It does appear that the “Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father” has simply hit the wall. There’s no money to move forward, and producer Marc Fiore has not been able to raise the money he needs. Fiore has been telling various players in this saga that “money is coming from overseas,” etc. But so far it hasn’t arrived. All work has halted, although not much work has actually happened. It’s unlikely production could begin in January since almost nothing has been done yet viz a viz sets, costumes, or planning.

I’m told that the John Travolta “Gotti” movie is on hold again after posting so many casting notices– over 82 roles including someone nicknamed “Veal Chop.” Readers of this column know the history of this precarious project. The fear was that Marco Fiore aka Marc Fiore was not able to raise sufficient funds to actually make the movie happen. This week several of the principals involved including Travolta, Barry Levinson and Al Pacino were supposed to be paid. Now sources say that the casting office is saying the movie is on hold again. Details to come…Also read: http://www.showbiz411.com/2011/10/02/gotti-movie-must-meet-financial-deadlines-this-week To think that Travolta and wife Kelly Preston will never get to play the immortal lovers, John and Victoria Gotti, Sr., is almost unthinkable…

Roger Friedman

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News. Friedman previously wrote the Intelligencer column at New York Magazine, He writes for Parade magazine and has written for Details, Vogue, the New York Times, Post, and Daily News and many other publications. He is the writer and co-producer of a film about R&B Music called “Only the Strong Survive,” which was released by Miramax in 2003 and was a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals.