Robert De Niro Plays Dueling Mob Bosses in ‘The Alto Knights’ Trailer

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Throughout his distinguished acting career, Robert De Niro has excelled in the true-crime genre. He played a gangster in Martin Scorsese’s iconic film Goodfellas, and more recently starred in the ten-time Oscar-nominated film The Irishman. In the mid-1900s, De Niro convincingly portrayed criminal characters on screen. And with Barry Levinson, an Academy Award-winning director known for films like Rain Man, set to release the upcoming thriller The Alto Knights, De Niro will continue his crime-filled acting journey. In this new film, De Niro will portray two different real-life crime bosses, making it a unique De Niro vs. De Niro scenario.

Yesterday, by mistake, Warner Bros. Pictures unveiled a sneak peek of The Alto Knights. In the trailer, Robert De Niro portrays two rival mob bosses, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, during the height of organized crime in New York City. Impressively, De Niro adopts distinct voices and accents for these roles, and undergoes an extensive physical transformation to play each character. Unlike his previous work in The Irishman, where heavy CGI was used, this time around De Niro appears to be heavily made-up and fitted with prosthetics. To be frank, it can be challenging to tell the two versions of De Niro apart based on their voices alone, especially when they are seen conversing in the trailer. Nonetheless, The Alto Knights openly acknowledges that one of the greatest actors ever is playing dual roles.

This movie focuses on two infamous crime lords in New York, Frank Costello (De Niro) and Vito Genovese (also played by De Niro), who are fighting for dominance over the city’s streets. Initially friends, minor grudges and a chain of deceptions push them towards an inevitable confrontation that will redefine the Mafia and America as we know it.

Is Robert De Niro Going In Circles at This Point?

It seems we can’t resist the idea of seeing Robert De Niro portray another crime character set in New York during the 1950s. Yet, one might wonder if it’s time for him to retire from the mobster role. The trailer for “The Alto Knights” could be suggesting that very thing. This film appears to tell a gripping tale of rival bosses at a pivotal moment in history, and De Niro is expected to deliver an impressive dual performance. However, it’s challenging to think of this as fresh ground for De Niro, given his extensive body of work. Playing two characters in the same movie is intriguing, but if it’s a role similar to those he has played before, the question of novelty still stands.

Speaking of it all, the challenging endeavor known as The Alto Knights might serve as a fitting farewell for De Niro in the realm of true crime films. It’s uncertain if he’ll gather enough momentum for awards consideration given its March release, but the star-studded cast and crew could easily draw audiences to the cinema. This long-awaited production may very well mark De Niro’s final dance within the mafia milieu, standing tall among his many remarkable crime dramas.

The Alto Knights is set to release in theaters on March 21.

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2025-01-14 22:04