Hyderabad: Excitement is sky-high for Robert De Niro starrer The Alto Knights, the trailer of which was released on Wednesday. The American biographical crime thriller is slated to hit theatres on March 21, 2025. Helmed by Barry Levinson and story by Nicholas Pileggi, the film is based on the backdrop of the 1950s New York mob bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. With Robert playing dual roles, here are all the deets about the film.
Original Title and Production Time
Initially conceived as Wise Guys in the 1970s, The Alto Knights had quite a troublesome journey to the big screen. After being passed over by multiple major studios for decades, the project finally found approval at Warner Bros. Pictures in May 2022. The studio started work on the film in August of the same year, and by October 2023, the film got its official name The Alto Knights.
Robert De Niro in a Dual Role
The biggest draw of The Alto Knights is undoubtedly Robert De Niro's double role as both Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. For the unversed, Costello and Genovese's relationship began as friends but worsened over time due to petty jealousies, betrayals, and a power struggle. De Niro is expected to add depth to the story with his performance having earlier played a gangster in films such as Goodfellas and Casino.
Star-Studded Cast and Crew
From the hitmakers of Goodfellas, The Irishman, and Bugsy. #TheAltoKnights – starring Robert De Niro - only in theaters March 21. pic.twitter.com/EGiEBOgIfi
— Warner Bros. Pictures (@wbpictures) January 14, 2025
Apart from De Niro, The Alto Knights boasts an impressive ensemble cast with Debra Messing and Kathrine Narducci joining the film in 2022. Cosmo Jarvis came on board in 2023. The film also stars Michael Rispoli, Michael Adler, Ed Amatrudo, and Wallace Langham in supporting roles, alongside Louis Mustillo, Joe Bacino, and Anthony J. Gallo.
The film marks director Barry Levinson and De Niro's reunion after films like Wag the Dog and The Wizard of Lies. Nicholas Pileggi, co-writer of the legendary Goodfellas, has penned the screenplay. Dante Spinotti, known for his work on L.A. Confidential and Heat, joined as the Cinematographer, while Neil Spisak handles production design and Douglas Crise serves as the editor.
Plot and Setting
The Alto Knights, set in 1950s New York, depicts Frank Costello and Vito Genovese's violent feud. Once close friends, their relationship worsened owing to power disputes and betrayals, ending in Genovese's assassination attempt on Costello in 1957. The film digs deep into the Mafia underground of mid-twentieth-century America, demonstrating how the battle between these two mob lords altered the history of organised crime.
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