Luc Besson seems committed to cranking out the thrillers, and has lined up a big name for his latest project: he’ll send Robert De Niro to Normandy for what is currently titled Malavita.
Besson has adapted the script from Tonino Benacquista’s book Badfellas (he probably wishes he could use the original title, but given who is starring, that’s probably a meta gag too far). The story finds De Niro as a retired American mafia type living in France with his family as part of the witness protection program. Telling the locals he’s there to write a history of the Allied landings in World War II, he settles into life in the pleasant town. But this is not the first time he’s tried to make a living somewhere – and his past is always ready to catch up with him…
The cameras should be cranking in August. Besson has another film bubbling away, though chances are he’ll hand this one to another director. He’s cranked out Three Days To Kill with From Paris With Love co-writer Adi Hasak. Little is known about the plot, but Besson’s company is describing it as in the same vein as Taken, with more humour. So… A hilarious look at the sex slave trade? Doubt it. But were he still with us, we could picture Leslie Nielsen in the Liam Neeson role.