Has it really been 30 years since Face/Off became a genre-defining classic? John Woo and Nicolas Cage are stepping back into the ring together, this time for Gambino, a crime biopic centered on one of New York’s most infamous underworld figures.
According to Deadline, WME Independent is introducing the project to buyers at AFM, with Cage set to play Carlo Gambino, the Sicilian-born butcher’s son who rose to become the quiet but absolute ruler of New York’s criminal empire. The film follows the aftermath of Gambino’s death in 1976, as Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Jimmy Breslin retraces the mob boss’s path through the voices of those who feared him — and those who were fiercely loyal.
The script comes from Bad Boys franchise writer George Gallo and Oscar winner Nick Vallelonga (Green Book). The project has been fully overhauled since its early announcement, now retooled with Woo directing, Cage starring, and a new producing and financing team in place.
Cassian Elwes (Mudbound, The Butler) is producing alongside Edward Zeng of NextG Films, which is financing the film, as well as Robert Daly Jr. and David Lipper of Latigo Films. Cage, Gallo, and Vallelonga are also on board as producers, with John Burnham serving as executive producer.
The partnership between Woo and Cage is already generating significant AFM buzz, and with a story steeped in power, legacy, and the American dream’s darkest corners, Gambino is shaping up to be one of the market’s most-watched packages.
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