I don’t which actors have signed contracts for the “Gotti” movie you’ve heard so much about. But there’s a new sheriff in town–a new director actually. Oscar winner Barry Levinson — “Rain Man,” “Diner,” “Tin Men,” “Wag the Dog”–is in, and he’s about to do a severe overhaul to make “Gotti” an epic hit. John Travolta remains, and Levinson is bringing in Al Pacino as John Gotti Sr.’s mentor. But a new screenplay is going to be written by Levinson’s “Bugsy” collaborator James Toback.
“Gotti” is about to make a sharp turn and become more like the highly praised and much awarded “Bugsy.” Good idea.
So far no character has been sketched or discussed for Lindsay Lohan. I’d also wager that Kelly Preston–Mrs. Travolta–won’t remain. The whole look and feel of “Gotti” has just been notched up from potential shlock to major motion picture. Levinson is a class act. I’m told producer Mark Fiore knows this, and will let Levinson make something important here. Levinson is telling friends that the “Mafia is coming to an end. John Gotti Jr. did his time and now he wants out. This may be the last Mafia movie of all time.”
Levinson arrives in Cannes tonight for meetings on the movie. Meantime, I am told that the movie his son, Sam, showed at Sundance–“Another Happy Day”–produced by and starring Ellen Barkin, has a distributor that will be announced shortly. In any case, now “Gotti” is a big deal.
