John Travolta has a knack for playing shady underworld figures, and for years he's been attached to play the ultimate real-life mobster, John Gotti. However the production has been as slippery as the "Teflon Don" himself, with multiple directors and an odd assortment of stars coming and going, causing the film to never quite get off the ground. Travolta has remained, of course, and the wait may finally be paying off as an unconventional choice for director has been named.
The Gotti film, which at one point was titled Gotti: Three Generations, will now be directed by Kevin Connolly. Who the heck is he? You probably know him best for playing Eric Murphy on Entourage for eight seasons plus the recent movie. He was behind the camera for a couple of episodes so this isn't coming completely out of nowhere. Still, it's his first feature gig and one has to wonder if he'll bring any of his Entourage crew with him. There's got to be a role for Turtle and Drama in there somewhere, right?
Connolly makes an interesting choice given the high profile directors that have been attached in the past, such as Barry Levinson and Nick Cassavetes. On the other side a number of actors have passed through without sticking around for long. Lindsay Lohan has been attached to the film twice in two totally different roles, while Al Pacino, Ben Foster, Joe Pesci (who actually sued the producers), and more have been associated with it. It's possible any of them could return, but it does seem like producers have lower expectations now.
Penned by Leo Rossi and Lem Dobbs, the film will explore John Gotti's rise through the ranks of the Gambino crime family, and also the relationship with his son, known as Junior Gotti. The younger Gotti sold his life rights which will serve as the centerpiece of the story. [Deadline]
