It’s been 15 years since Redbelt, the last theatrical feature from David Mamet, and time has not been kind to the writer-director. Like many in his generation, his mind has been fully Fox News-ified to the point where I had thought his 2008 feature might be his last film (not discounting his HBO outing in 2013) and his potential funding has dried up. That hasn’t been the case, however, as his next project has been announced ahead of production beginning this fall and it will be sold at the Cannes market.
Set in 1963 and scripted by Mamet and Nicholas Celozzi, Assassination is set during a “crucial justice hearing against organized crime, when the head of the Chicago mob orders the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, creating a deadly conspiracy while altering the fate of a nation.” With a cast featuring Al Pacino, Viggo Mortensen, John Travolta, Shia LaBeouf, Rebecca Pidgeon, and Courtney Love, production will kick off this September in Vancouver, with cinematographer Robert Elswit (Inherent Vice, There Will Be Blood) on board.
Taking the point of view of the mob, the film is rumored to take place in the two days leading up to the assassination and will imagine a story in which Chicago mob kingpin Sam Giancana ordered the hit to get back at JFK who turned his back on the mafia after they assisted with his election. In scripting the film, Celozzi reportedly drew inspiration from his great uncle Giancana, who was murdered in 1975.
Assassination is produced by Corey Large (Paradise City, It Follows) and Nicholas Celozzi (Kickboxer films, The Class). The film is executive produced by John Burnham, Arclight Films’ Gary Hamilton and Pia Patatian, Jordan Nott, Bernie Gewissler and Amar Balaggan and financed by 308 Enterprises.