Since making Public Enemies, Michael Mann has been busying himself on the small screen, shooting the pilot for Luck, the horseracing drama he’s producing for HBO with Deadwood’s David Milch. But now he’s locked in a new film project, locking down Up in the Air’s Sheldon Turner to write Big Tuna.
No, it’s not a film about John Krasinski’s Jim from the American version of The Office (who is called “Tuna” a lot by Ed Helms’ Andy), nor is it about large fish found in tins. Big Tuna actually follows real-life Chicago mob boss Tony Accardo and Sam Giancana, the protégé who ended up replacing him.
It sounds like perfect material for Mann, and Turner will bring his solid scripting skills to the table. What it doesn’t have yet is studio backing, with Mann dipping into his own wallet to pay Turner’s fees and get development kicked off properly.
Oh, and by the way, we’ve heard the that the first episode of Luck, which features actors Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, is absolutely great. But then: it’s Mann and Milch working together. Did you expect anything else?