A curious development in the saga to bring “Assassination,” co-written by David Mamet and Nicholas Celozzi, to the big screen (via Deadline). The film is supposed to start production in April.
Celozzi, who is also producer on the JFK movie, now being directed by Barry Levinson, has filed a lawsuit against the film’s financier and production outfit 308 US, accusing them of multiple contractual breaches. Celozzi’s suit accuses 308 of firing Mamet as director and replacing him with Levinson without authorization.
Following Mamet’s firing, all of the film’s original cast, excluding Al Pacino, stepped back from the project, according to the filing. Celozzi goes on to claim that his co-writing credit was also removed by 308 from press releases, screenplay copies, and marketing materials.
The original cast had Pacino, Shia LaBoeuf, John Travolta and Viggo Mortensen set to star, no doubt to due to the prolific Pulitzer prize winning Mamet’s involvement as writer-director.
The latest cast now has Jared Leto, Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser, Bryan Cranston, and Pacino starring in Levinson’s film. The “thriller” is said to tackle a female reporter Dorothy Kilgallen (Chastain), who suspects that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in President John F Kennedy’s murder.
“Assassination” would delve into how notorious Chicago mobster Sam Giancana arranged the assassination of JFK as revenge for trying to bring down organized crime, this after the mob helped put JFK in the White House. The cinematographer attached is the ultra-talented Robert Elswitt (“There Will Be Blood,” “Punch Drunk-Love,” “Magnolia,” “Michael Clayton,” “Nightcrawler”).
After Mamet’s firing, Paul Schrader had been originally asked to direct the film. Schrader passed on the offer, and hinted that it might have been because of Mamet’s toxic reputation in the industry — he’s a Trump supporter. Levinson soon after hopped onboard.
Mamet hasn’t helmed a film since 2008’s underrated “Red Belt.” Levinson has “Wise Guys,” starring Robert De Niro, in post-production. I hear that one is not good, and the recently released trailer might have just confirmed my hunch.
Netflix and Skydance Animation have also called it quits. The two sides announced Monday that they're ending the animated film deal struck back in 2023, framing it as a mutual decision.