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Antoine Fuqua Wants Sean Penn for Scarpa Project

by Brandon Lee Tenney
January 18, 2009
Source: ComingSoon

Director Antoine Fuqua, of films like Training Day and Shooter, talked with ComingSoon after the Sundance premiere of his latest film, Brooklyn's Finest, about another project in the very early stages of development, a biopic based on the life of Gregory Scarpa Sr. For those of you unfamiliar with the goings on of the Colombo crime family, Scarpa Sr., also known as "The Grim Reaper", was their chief enforcer during the 70s and 80s and an FBI informant for over thirty years. And it's looking like the role of Scarpa Sr. may be played by none other than Sean Penn. Fuqua says the project is called Scarpa and that "it's New York again, Brooklyn, FBI, Italian gangsters, [and] it takes place from the '60s to the '90s."

Sean Penn has incredible range, so it's no wonder why his name would be at the top of Fuqua's list. Taking only the last decade into account, Penn has masterfully handled such complex roles as those in I Am Sam, Mystic River, and, most recently, Milk. The complexity of a character like Gregory Scarpa Sr. should allow Penn to turn in yet another award-worthy performance. As for director Antoine Fuqua, it appears he may be warming up for Scarpa with his next project Escobar, a biopic based on the life of infamous Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar, also known as "El Doctor". Not sure which nickname is more frightening, "El Doctor" or "The Grim Reaper", but I do know that Fuqua seems to be the best man for both projects.

Filed under Movie News

From around the web:

http://movies.iconocritic.com/ peloquin

This is definitely something I'll be keeping my eye on. It seems like the gangster genre is popping up all over the place again. Are Escobar and Killing Pablo still to be released around the same time? I'm curious as to which will be out first and gain the most buzz.
Angela

It would be very difficult for this producer to do this story without having the proper and accurate information. I just spoke with the Scarpa family and they are ready to file suit if this is being produced by any of the "new" authors who claim to be writing books with the Scarpa son. This movie is certainly one that needs to be told but it needs to be told through the experts that have first hand knowledge not third and fourth party people that are not fully aware of ALL of the information otherwise it could be a mess. Cordially, Angela Clemente Forensic Analyst
dan

sounds like good content for a movie.......hope it gets made.
Matthew

This comment has totally nothing to do with the topic but I must say it somewhere. I have to admit I'm totally floored by people ability to make movies, directors, producers, and actors. To have a vision and run with it, be it camera angles, action sequences etc... I'm jealous beyond belief that people can imagine so many beautiful sequences, The Dark Knight making probably top of my list. I <3 great movies.
Movie Fan

When Fuqua makes a great movie, he does it brilliantly (Training Day anyone). He's very much a hit and miss director, but if he's focusing on projects like Pablo Escobar and Scarpa, then yes, it may just be a return to form for him since he's obviously very talented.
dave

Fuqua new project Scarpa seems interesting. I read about Robert Downey Jr. possibly working with the director in the future after his role in Sherlock Holmes http://www.movienewz.com/2009/01/15/sherlock-holmes. We need a new FBI, Italian gangster movie. Sean Penn does have incredible range. I understand his name would be at the top of Fuqua's list. Penn has handled his role in Milk with depth. The character Gregory Scarpa Sr. will allow Penn to turn in yet another great performance.
http://movieguyreviews4u.blogspot.com Ryan

SOunds promising.
DR DTX

Sean Penn and Holllywood genrally serving up yet more enabling WWII moral alibis for their current -on all fours -'relationship' with the heirs of the most genocidal regime the world has ever seen ---across the Pacific! That's 70 million -murdered in peacetime -all in the name of 'the people's social progress'. 70 million -unoutted and unanswered for. 70 million and STILL climbing in their client states of North Korea ---and TIbet. 70,OO0,000! -chekc it out! Ah -but then Malibu-born -Uncle was in the movie biz -Penn never outted his own granfdfather's warm support of Stalin in the 20's-30's and 40's -when (latest estimate from the University of Hawaii) ---over 60 million were methodically liquidated. So keep a goin' ye circle-jerks of the sold-out American comfort-zone! ---Just keep a goin'!