With the 50th anniversary coming up this November, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas in November 1963 is clearly capturing the attention of filmmakers again, more than twenty years after the release of Oliver Stone‘s “JFK.” Tom Hanks is producing the ensemble drama “Parkland,” set on the day of the assassination, and only a few days back, it was announced that Cate Blanchett would star in David Mamet‘s “Blackbird,” a contemporary thriller about a woman who discovers her father may have had a part in the conspiracy.
But they appear to have some serious competition. A few years back, it was announced that Leonardo DiCaprio was developing “Legacy Of Secrecy,” based on the book by Lamar Waldron and Thom Hartmann, which posits the theory that Mafia godfather Carlos Marcello told FBI informant Jack van Laningham that he was behind the assassination. Now the film (a passion project of DiCaprio’s father George) looks to be coming together, as the real-life van Laningham’s son told Showbiz 411 at Cannes that David O Russell is writing and directing the movie.
Furthermore, his “Silver Linings Playbook” star Robert DeNiro is apparently also on board, to play Marcello, with DiCaprio presumably on board to play van Laningham. Russell’s become one of the most in demand filmmakers around after two Oscar nominations in three years; he’s currently shooting “American Hustle,” and has been circling other projects including Jennifer Lawrence vehicle “The Ends of the Earth.” But he’s not officially committed, to anything, so could this turn out to be his next next project? It certainly sounds like it’s a possibility, and we reckon Russell’s a fine choice for the material, and the idea of him working with DiCaprio is very promising. We’re sure some more official confirmation will be along before too long.