Al Pacino, known for his iconic roles as mob bosses and gangsters in films like ‘The Godfather,’ ‘The Irishman’ and ‘Scarface,’ is set to take on another mafia role in the upcoming thriller ‘Captivated.’ According to Deadline, Pacino will play a real-life Calabrian mafia boss named Saro in the film, which centres around a high-stakes kidnapping.
In ‘Captivated,’ the story begins with a young Saro, portrayed by Tony Kebbell, who later evolves into the older Saro played by Pacino. The plot unfolds as Saro kidnaps the grandson of Jean Paul Getty, one of the world’s wealthiest men. The situation takes a dramatic turn when Saro falls for the boy’s mother, played by Katie Holmes, amidst the tense ransom negotiations.
Also Read: Al Pacino Has Announced “Incredibly Personal” Memoir, ‘Sonny Boy’
One of the film’s producers, Michael Mammoliti, has a personal connection to the story. He is the nephew of Saro Mammoliti, one of the key kidnappers involved in the real-life events that inspired the film. Mammoliti has been developing this project for several years, aiming to shed light on this lesser-known side of the story.
Filming is set to commence this winter in Italy, with Dito Montiel, known for ‘Man Down,’ directing. Montiel co-wrote the script alongside Robin Shushan and Mammoliti. Michael Benaroya, CEO of Benaroya Pictures and founder of IFT, expressed his excitement about the project, stating, “‘Captivated’ has all the ingredients of a great film: a fantastic script, stellar cast, and visionary director. We couldn’t be more excited to have it on our slate.”
Mammoliti added, “Our goal is to give a voice to a person who’s had none for over 50 years, and tell a side of this story no one knows.”
In other news, Pacino is set to release his memoir ‘Sonny Boy’ later this year. Described as the memoir of a man with nothing left to fear or hide, ‘Sonny Boy’ is expected to offer deep insights into the legendary actor’s personal and professional journey.