EXCLUSIVE: Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser and Bryan Cranston have joined Al Pacino in the mystery thriller Assassination. The film will be directed by Barry Levinson from a script by David Mamet Levinson and Sam Bromell.
“Dorothy Kilgallen was the first female crime reporter in America. She was the only woman to ever cover the JFK case. The only reporter to speak with Jack Ruby. With back-channel sources to the Warren Commission, she started putting pieces together that no one else did. She died under very suspicious circumstances, but it was never investigated,” said Levinson.
The film reveals a new take on the JFK conspiracy, centering around Dorothy Kilgallen (Chastain), one of the most famous voices in media at the time. When Dorothy suspects that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone, she uses her fame and influence to find the real killer of JFK. Part murder mystery, part film noir, Kilgallen’s journey will put her up against the CIA, Mafia bosses and the FBI, all who would love nothing more than to make her and this story disappear.
The film is produced by Corey Large alongside Jason Sosnoff. Large is also financing Assassination. John Burnham, Bernie Gewissler, Pia Patatian and Jordan Nott are executive producers. Production is set to begin in early 2025 in Boston, MA.
“We love the idea of exploring this topic through Dorothy’s perspective. She was relentless and courageous in pursuing the truth, and this film is as much her story as it is the uncovering of what happened that day in Dallas. It’s beyond exciting to see that Jessica, Brendan, and Bryan are joining Pacino in bringing Barry’s vision to life,” added Sosnoff.
Global sales executive Pia Patatian, formerly of Arclight, is handling worldwide rights through her new company Concord Studios. Patatian will launch the project at AFM.
“It’s an amazing privilege to be working with such distinguished actors. They are perfectly cast to bring the thrilling nuances of this original and dynamic script to life under Barry’s guiding hand. Dorothy Kilgallen’s journey is one of the most fascinating untold stories and we are overjoyed to bring it to life for eager audiences,” said Corey Large.
Nicholas Celozzi is also producing.
Chastain holds an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a Drama Desk, 5 Critics Choice, and three SAG Awards. She has also received multiple nominations including an Emmy, 2 Tonys, 5 SAG, 2 BAFTA, 3 Academy Award, 6 Critics Choice and 9 Golden Globes. Chastain’s journey began with breakthrough roles in acclaimed films such as The Help, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life and Zero Dark Thirty.
Some of her most notable roles include her captivating portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye, which won her an Oscar and the astronaut Melissa Lewis in The Martian. On television, she starred in the critically acclaimed miniseries George & Tammy for Showtime and Scenes from a Marriage for HBO.
Fraser starred in Darren Aronofsky’s, The Whale, which premiered in December 2022 and earned him several awards including his first Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role as well as a SAG award. Most recently, Fraser was seen in Martin Scorsese’s Epic Western, Killers Of The Flower Moon, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone. Other recent works for Fraser include Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move for HBOMax, as well as Doom Patrol, the hit HBOMax/DC Entertainment series where he stars as Cliff Steele and is the voice of Robotman.
Upcoming works for Fraser include Searchlight’s Rental Family, which will bow in 2025 from filmmaker Hikari, and Working Title’s Pressure, alongside Andrew Scott, where he will play Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Cranston is an Academy Award nominee, and an Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, Tony, and Olivier Award winner. He most recently starred in Matthew Vaughn’s Argylle and lent his voice to Kung Fu Panda 4. Up next, Cranston will star in Everything’s Going to Be Great opposite Allison Janney.
Levinson is the Academy Award-winning director, screenwriter and producer who was awarded the Best Director Oscar for the multiple Academy Award-winning Rain Man. Bugsy, directed and produced by Levinson, was nominated for ten Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.
Levinson has also directed and executive produced with his producing partner Jason Sosnoff, the HBO Films You Don’t Know Jack, Wizard of Lies and Paterno.
Large is currently producing Demian Lichtenstein’s action thriller The Razor’s Edge starring James Franco and Tommy Lee Jones, which recently wrapped production in Georgia. Additional projects include Jesse V. Johnson’s CIA action thriller Scorpion starring Aaron Eckhart.
Chastain is represented by Mosaic, CAA, Steve Warren (Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox); Fraser is represented by CAA, Linden Entertainment, Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson and Cranston is represented by UTA and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.