ASSASSINATION: Oscar Winning Director Barry Levinson Re-Teams with David Mamet for JFK Assassination Drama

Oscar Winner for Rain Man Barry Levinson Back in the Director’s Chair

Barry Levinson has taken over as director for the upcoming David Mamet-scripted Al Pacino drama, Assassination.

It has been a great career for Barry Levinson. He won the Oscar for directing 1988’s Rain Man and, hopefully, one of his most exciting projects ever will soon be on its way into production. Assassination is the story of how Chicago’s mobster, Sam Giancana, orchestrated the assassination of JFK. It will star heavy-hitters, Al Pacino and Shia LaBeouf in two key roles within the picture. It’s a return to form for Levinson who used to direct event pictures like this frequently.

Levinson used to be quite prolific as a filmmaker. In 1997’s hilarious and smart political comedy, Wag the Dog, Levinson worked with David Mamet whose script he will be filming once again with Assassination. This new film will also feature the intriguing concept of how the mafia helped make JFK President of the United States. Levinson is no stranger to mob movies as he made the wonderful 1991 drama, Bugsy, among others.

When Levinson was at his peak, he made movies with Joe Pesci, Robin Williams, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Brad Pitt, Jason Patric and Minnie Driver within the span of little more than five years (1992-1997). Jimmy Hollywood, Toys, Sleepers and Wag the Dog were all films that succeeded at different levels at the box-office but all showed the dedication of what was one of the most prolific directors of his day. Assassination is the type of big, high-concept project that could launch Levinson back into the spotlight which, in turn, could lead to Oscar nods all around: Mamet, Pacino and Levinson could all find themselves in the running if the picture turns out well.

Barry Levinson won his Best Directing Oscar in 1989 and about 35 years later, he could stand the chance to be in the running for yet another one with Assassination. Ironically enough, Bugsy was up against JFK at the Oscars in 1992. Now, over thirty years later, Levinson will be rivaling Oliver Stone’s movie to also tell a JFK story that many audiences will be more than curious to see.

It is also noteworthy that Levinson directed Dustin Hoffman to an Oscar for the actor’s work in the Best Picture winner, Rain Man. Levinson’s 1987 crowd-pleaser, Good Morning, Vietnam helped get Robin Williams a Best Actor Oscar nod which solidified Williams’ place as a serious actor in Hollywood.

Al Pacino has worked with Levinson before several times but in films of varying degrees of quality: Paterno, You Don’t Know Jack and The Humbling. Could the latest cinematic dream team of Pacino and Levinson be their ticket back to the Academy Awards? We shall see. Pacino will be playing mafia boss, Tony Accardo, in the upcoming picture.

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