Director Michael Mann will develop Frankie Machine as a star vehicle for Robert De Niro at Paramount Pictures, says Variety.
De Niro and Jane Rosenthal produce through their Tribeca Films. Alex Tse has just been set to do a major overhaul of the concept under Mann’s supervision.
The drama is an adaptation of Don Winslow novel “The Winter of Frankie Machine.” De Niro will play Frank Machianno, a mob hitman who has retired to run a bait shop. He agrees to help the son of a mob boss resolve a dispute with another Mafioso but is forced to turn into Frankie Machine again when he realizes he’s been set up to be killed.
De Niro came aboard the project when Paramount bought the book in November of 2005. A draft was original written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien.
De Niro and Mann previously teamed for 1995’s Heat.
