Assassination: Barry Levinson to direct JFK assassination film starring Al Pacino from a script by David Mamet

Last Updated on November 3, 2023

Legendary film director Barry Levinson has given us such movies as Diner, Rain Man and Sleepers, while legendary screenwriter David Mamet penned such classics as The Untouchables, Glengarry Glen Ross and Ronin. The two are reportedly set to team up for a new film about the JFK assassination, which will star another cinema legend, Al Pacino. The film, Assassination, was first reported out of Cannes and is set to feature a cast including Viggo Mortensen, John Travolta, Shia LaBeouf, Rebecca Pidgeon and Courtney Love.

Back when the film was revealed at Cannes, Mamet was set to direct his screenplay, which he co-wrote with Nicholas Celozzi. Now, Deadline is reporting that Barry Levinson is stepping in as the director for the film. According to Deadline, the plot of Assassination “tells the story of how infamous Chicago mobster Sam Giancana arranged the assassination of President John F. Kennedy as payback for trying to bring down organized crime after the mob helped put JFK in the White House.”

Al Pacino and Shia LaBeouf are said to be still attached to the film, but there isn’t confirmation if there were other changes to the project with this new development. Pacino is on board to portray senior mob boss Tony Accardo. It is not yet known who Shia LaBeouf will be playing. Assassination is set to be produced by by Corey Large (It Follows), Jason Sosnoff (Wise Guys) and Giancana’s grandnephew Nicholas Celozzi (The Class). John Burnham (Atlas Artists) and Jordan Nott are on board as the movie’s executive producers. Funding for the film comes from 308 Enterprises. WME, Novo Entertainment and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof and Fishman represent Barry Levinson.

Levinson has previously directed for the Emmy-winning series Dopesick and directed Pacino previously in films including You Don’t Know Jack, Paterno and The Humbling. Levinson and Mamet would work together before on the political satire, Wag the Dog, starring Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman. Levinson also received six Oscar nominations on his resume for Bugsy (Picture, Director), Avalon (Original Screenplay), Rain Man (directing), Diner (Original Screenplay) and for And Justice for All (Original Screenplay).