As Hollywood productions have all gone dark due to the coronavirus pandemic, that has not stopped studios from prepping for future projects. MGM has acquired the rights to Ridley Scott's GUCCI, a true crime drama about the murder of fashion trailblazer Maurizio Gucci, and Lady Gaga is in negotiations to star in the film.
Streaming services such as Netflix were aiming to nab the high-profile film from Scott but MGM beat them out, partly because it offered the opportunity for a theatrical release, something that Scott was completely sold on for his film about the machinations behind the fabled fashion house. If negotiations move ahead as planned, Gaga would play Patrizia Reggiani, Gucci’s ex-wife who was convicted of orchestrating his hit after he had an affair. The script, credited to Roberto Bentivegna, is based on "The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed", written by Sara Gay Forden and published by William Morrow in 2001. The book used the sensationalistic nature of the murder to delve further into the complex yet intriguing family history, filled with infighting, corporate intrigue and a lot of money. Maurizio Gucci was the grandson of Guccio Gucci and ran the company in a declining period in the 1980s.
Scott was in the middle of shooting THE LAST DUEL, a drama set in the Middle Ages with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Adam Driver, but that movie is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. The plan is for Scott to restart work on that when Hollywood and the world returns to work, and then move into GUCCI after. MGM is so eager for what Scott has to offer with GUCCI that they have already dated the film for a release on November 24, 2021.
This project shows off just how diverse Ridley Scott is as a filmmaker and it also seems like a perfect vehicle for Lady Gaga, who would be following this up after her Oscar-nominated turn in A STAR IS BORN. If the film ends up being on the prestige side, this could land them another trip to the ceremony.
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