Thanks to new interest in prohibition-era 'gangsters', spurred on by Martin Scorsese's upcoming HBO series "Boardwalk Empire", Warners has acquired the screenplay "Cicero", based on the rise of 'Scarface Al Capone', the ruthless, Chicago-based, organized crime racketeer.
The "Cicero" screenplay is by Walon Green, noted for writing director 'Bloody Sam' Peckinpah's classic western "The Wild Bunch".
Actor James Gandolfini, at age 49, although maybe considered 'too old' for the part, is still the top commercial/critical choice to play Capone.
Gandolfini has been looking for the right feature to showcase his considerable charm and acting skills, following his 3-time Emmy, television turn as 'Tony Soprano' on HBO's "The Sopranos".
Other actors that previously played Capone in film include Rod Steiger in "Al Capone" (1959), Neville Brand in "The George Raft Story (1961), Jason Robards in "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre" (1967), Buddy Lester in "Poor Devil" (1973), Ben Gazzara in "Capone" (1975), Robert De Niro in "The Untouchables" (1987), Eric Roberts in "The Lost Capone" (1990), Anthony LaPaglia in Road to Perdition (2002), Jon Bernthal in "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" (2009) and Stephen Graham in "Boardwalk Empire" (2010).
Other actors that previously played Capone in film include Rod Steiger in "Al Capone" (1959), Neville Brand in "The George Raft Story (1961), Jason Robards in "The St. Valentine's Day Massacre" (1967), Buddy Lester in "Poor Devil" (1973), Ben Gazzara in "Capone" (1975), Robert De Niro in "The Untouchables" (1987), Eric Roberts in "The Lost Capone" (1990), Anthony LaPaglia in Road to Perdition (2002), Jon Bernthal in "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" (2009) and Stephen Graham in "Boardwalk Empire" (2010).
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