Joe Johnston Set to Direct GOTTI Biopic
It looks like John Travolta's John Gotti mobster biopic is back in action! Captain America: The First Avenger director Joe Johnston has jumped on board to helm the film.
Marc Fiore of Fiore Films is producing the movie based on a story by John Gotti Jr, who chose to turn his back on the mob code he grew up around. The film will follow his relationship with his father. This is the first time a member of the Gotti family has agreed to tell their story on the big screen.
The movie was written by Leo Rossi and is reportedly a "tell-all" story. Fiore previously called the film “the new Godfather,” saying “it’s a story about a father and a son, but the father happens to be John Gotti Sr.”
Travolta will portray the mobster in the film, and this is what he had to say in a statement,
I'm looking forward to portraying John Gotti -- it's been a long time coming. And I think that Johnson is an exciting and fresh addition to the vision of the film. We are all looking forward to starting production.
Johnston is a talented director. I've enjoyed most of the films he's made in his career, and I think he's going to do a great job with this one. Here's what he had to say about the project:
I think we’ve always been fascinated with the idea of the romantic outlaw. John Gotti could be in one instance a charismatic, kind and loving family man, and in another, deadly to his enemies. The opportunity to tell the true story of Gotti with John Travolta is a director’s dream.
Johnston is set to start filming the movie in New York on September 9th.