Robert De Niro is a two-hit wonder in the trailer for the upcoming gangster film “The Alto Knights” from Barry Levinson. De Niro stars in a double role as both mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, real-life kingpins of New York’s Genovese crime family.
Alongside De Niro stars Debra Messing as Costello’s wife Bobbie, Kathrine Narducci as Genovese’s wife Anna and Cosmo Jarvis. “The Alto Knights” is set to follow the story of the Italian American mafiosi in the mid-twentieth century and Genovese’s attempted hit on Costello in 1957.
De Niro is no stranger to the crime thriller, especially ones with mob ties. One of his first was Martin Scorsese’s 1973 feature “Mean Streets” where he starred alongside Harvey Keitel. De Niro then joined Francis Ford Coppola for the 1974 “The Godfather Part II” and then Scorsese again for his 1990 mob feature “Goodfellas.” De Niro has also starred in “Casino,” “A Bronx Tale,” “Heat” and numerous other crime dramas.
In March 2023, Levinson described the “The Alto Knights” story as one of “best friends who become mortal enemies.” Of De Niro’s double-role, Levinson said, “It’s amazing. He’s such an astounding actor. It was literally like two different people, like I was working with two different actors.”
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De Niro and Levinson previously worked together on “Wag the Dog,” “Sleeper” “The Wizard of Lies” and “What Just Happened.” The screenplay for “Alto Knights” is penned by “Goodfellas” co-writer Nicholas Pileggi, who wrote the novel behind Scorsese’s film adaptation, “Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family.”
Warner Bros.’ “The Alto Knights” hits theaters on March 21. Watch the trailer below.