Sylvester Stallone is set to play the role of Raymonde Aprile, the last great American mafia boss in a television adaptation of “Omerta” the final novel by Mario Puzo.
The climax of Puzo’s “mafia trilogy” got mixed reviews upon its publication back in 2000 but it should be a perfect fit for a new hit mafia TV series. There have been previous attempts over the years to bring the novel to the big screen, but it proved to be too big for a single film. An ongoing series will allow audiences to truly get immersed into Puzo’s mafia world filled with violence, traitors, and various twists and turns.
The series is being produced by the Weinstein Company and Antoine Fuqua from The Magnificent Seven is set to direct. There is no network attached to the new mafia TV series yet, but it is sure to be a hot ticket as many experts believe the landscape is perfect for a mafia epic with the scope of a hit series like Game of Thrones. The addition of a star like Stallone to the lead role of a series with connections to the violent mob world of The Godfather is sure to draw plenty of attention from multiple networks. Movies and TV shows about the mafia or Cosa Nostra always seem to draw large audiences and interest.
Stallone was asked to write, direct, and star in a third Godfather movie by Paramount back in 1983 an offer he declined. He allegedly said, “This is the worst idea since my conception” when approached with the idea leading to Francis Ford Coppola capping off the historic series seven years later with The Godfather Part III. The Omerta TV series will once again give Stallone a chance to be a part of the legendary author’s work. A pilot script has already been completed by Justin Herber and Adam Hoff and the search for a female lead is believed to already be underway as the new mafia television series is coming together quickly.
Very interesting and I could see this really being a monster hit something like the Soprano’s if its well done. There is definitely a market for a new mafia series now that Boardwalk Empire and The Soprano’s have come to an end and def left many wanting more.
Yeah I agree, plus it’ll show if sly really have the goods to pull off a convincing mob boss as James Gandolfini did wth the Tony Soprano character….ijs.
The supporting cast is just as important…Gandolfini was awesome but Johnny SAC Bobby Bacala and many more realist mob characters…made it believable….so Stallone can do it but need Underlings Italia of Italian heritage…..Sopranos’ used 90% Italian actors…pauli walnuts has mob ties in real and that i say is good.
Agreed the supporting case def goes a long way into making the series great and worth watching as you mentioned with The Sopranos those guys were great as a group.
I like most of Sly’s work so its def a plus that he is slotted in the leading role.