Robert De Niro to Star Opposite Himself in Gangster Drama ‘Wise Guys’ at Warner Bros.

[Antiliar]

How's about Michael imperioli as Frank costello?

That's gonna be a no from me, dawg. He just doesn't fit the mold.

[OcSleeper]

Maybe Gambino but not Costello (it's a joke, if you nose you nose)

[dave]

Hate to beat up on the old but there's gotta be a zillion Italian-American kids out there who are talented actors busy waiting tables or something while doing shitty plays part time as they're looking to move up in their careers, and they could do this much better than a bunch of 80 year olds. If you absolutely have to use people like DeNiro, have them play old-timer consiglieres or something. The Irishman would have made for a fine swan song if these guys just knew it's time to hang it the fuck up (Narrator: They don't.).

Even younger guys like Vincent Piazza and Domenick Lombardozzi. Both born and bred NY Italians who have played gangsters before. I see they're both in this new Tulsa King series with Sylvester Stallone.

[B.]

At this point might as well remake Goodfellas and have DeNiro play every character. Can have DeNiro as Tommy and he'll also play Spider and shoot himself

[funkster]

Maybe Gambino but not Costello (it's a joke, if you nose you nose)

lol that would be good.

[Ivan]

Maybe Gambino but not Costello (it's a joke, if you nose you nose)

Holy shit that guy would be perfect for Gambino at least in looks hahaha. Could play him in the 50s and 60s at his peak.

He's actually British but I want Stephen Graham as Nicky Scarfo. What do you guys think? At 5 foot 5 he's even the right height. Observe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9TsMA46Eww

[PolackTony]

Maybe Gambino but not Costello (it's a joke, if you nose you nose)

Holy shit that guy would be perfect for Gambino at least in looks hahaha. Could play him in the 50s and 60s at his peak.

He's actually British but I want Stephen Graham as Nicky Scarfo. What do you guys think? At 5 foot 5 he's even the right height. Observe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9TsMA46Eww

Graham IMO would absolutely work as Scarfo. Right stature and does a great job of portraying a guy with a violent undercurrent bubbling beneath the surface at all times. Just gotta make sure he can do a good “Phuluhduhlfiuh ayccent”.

[PolackTony]

At this point might as well remake Goodfellas and have DeNiro play every character. Can have DeNiro as Tommy and he'll also play Spider and shoot himself

Yeah, including an offputtingly elderly Spider stiffly falling after getting shot in the foot.

Seriously, that scene in The Irishman where DeNiro beats up the shopkeeper was so bad it practically ruined the movie for me. Like, get a body double for that at least, if you’re going to insist on casting old guys and using CGI to crappily “de-age” them.

[Ivan]

He's actually British but I want Stephen Graham as Nicky Scarfo. What do you guys think? At 5 foot 5 he's even the right height. Observe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9TsMA46Eww

Graham IMO would absolutely work as Scarfo. Right stature and does a great job of portraying a guy with a violent undercurrent bubbling beneath the surface at all times. Just gotta make sure he can do a good “Phuluhduhlfiuh ayccent”.

"tenk gawd fer duh Murrican jurreh systuhm"

He does an acceptable New Joisey accent in that clip so I think he'd do a great job. I can't think of anyone better for Scarfo.

I liked his performance as Al Capone somewhat but I couldn't buy it visually as he was just too fucking short. But for Scarfo? His height would be an asset!

That scene is hilarious by the way. "You people?! YOU PEOPLE?!?!"

[PolackTony]

He's actually British but I want Stephen Graham as Nicky Scarfo. What do you guys think? At 5 foot 5 he's even the right height. Observe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9TsMA46Eww

Graham IMO would absolutely work as Scarfo. Right stature and does a great job of portraying a guy with a violent undercurrent bubbling beneath the surface at all times. Just gotta make sure he can do a good “Phuluhduhlfiuh ayccent”.

"tenk gawd fer duh Murrican jurreh systuhm"

He does an acceptable New Joisey accent in that clip so I think he'd do a great job. I can't think of anyone better for Scarfo.

I liked his performance as Al Capone somewhat but I couldn't buy it visually as he was just too fucking short. But for Scarfo? His height would be an asset!

That scene is hilarious by the way. "You people?! YOU PEOPLE?!?!"

They need a real emphasis on voice/accent coaching to really make these things work. If they make a serious movie about the Phully mob and everyone sounds like they just walked out of a deli in Bensonhurst, it would be a huge waste of opportunity. Major part of the authenticity of capturing the feel of a place or character is lost there. People think they can convey “mob/Italian” by having a New Yawk accent. It’s cheap and inauthentic. Imagine if Departed was full of actors sounding like they just flew in from Queens. This was my major gripe with Casino. Points to Pesci — while he wasn’t convincing, he at least really tried. DeNiro and Frank Vincent made no effort at all and it infuriates me every time I watch. Not to mention Frank Vincent in the atrocious “Chicago Typewriter” schlock (“Can you believe the BAWLDS on these guys from the Cicero crew??”).

Graham as Capone wasn’t bad, exactly, as he’s a good actor. But apart from the stature thing, he played Capone too “nutty”. Need someone who can capture the charismatic mix of jolly and menacing that I think would really characterize Capone.

[B.]

I can't think of anyone better for Scarfo.

Too old now, but Frankie Valli circa Sopranos was perfect.

Philly would be great as a high-end miniseries that starts with the very end of Angelo Bruno's reign (first episode ends w/ his murder) and ends with the Scarfo RICO case.

[MichaelGiovanni]

I can't think of anyone better for Scarfo.

Too old now, but Frankie Valli circa Sopranos was perfect.

Philly would be great as a high-end miniseries that starts with the very end of Angelo Bruno's reign (first episode ends w/ his murder) and ends with the Scarfo RICO case.

I agree. That would be epic.

[Ivan]

I can't think of anyone better for Scarfo.

Too old now, but Frankie Valli circa Sopranos was perfect.

Philly would be great as a high-end miniseries that starts with the very end of Angelo Bruno's reign (first episode ends w/ his murder) and ends with the Scarfo RICO case.

There's gotta be a way for us to make this happen in ten years if all of us on the forum combined our powers.

Graham as Scarfo for sure, who else? Can't think of any other actors for any roles off the top of my head. Will have to sleep on it.

[Ivan]

Graham as Capone wasn’t bad, exactly, as he’s a good actor. But apart from the stature thing, he played Capone too “nutty”. Need someone who can capture the charismatic mix of jolly and menacing that I think would really characterize Capone.

Yeah, this. I've never really seen an actor "get" Capone. DeNiro especially sucked I thought. Graham might actually be the least bad I've seen.

I did like the actor who played O'Banion. Opposite problem from Capone though, the guy was way too tall (O'Banion was like 5'2" or something -- one of his drivers, a Mr. Barnett, who was interviewed decades later commented that when he met him he thought "My god he's short! I'm 5'7" and I can look down at him.").

[B.]

I'm kind of against non-Italians playing members... have to be half-Italian to get made, half-Italian to play one. Now I sound like one of those people whose like "you need to be gay to play a gay character".

Another one that's too old, but Burt Young is 100% Tony Bananas.