While roles in Guardians of the Galaxy (and, soon, Star Wars: Episode VIII) have helped showcase Benicio Del Toro’s acting talent to the moviegoing masses, the Puerto Rican-American actor continues to impress with the likes of Sicario and Escobar: Paradise Lost.
Countering the blockbuster affair with tight-knit and intense thrillers is something the actor is clearly keen to continue, too, now that Deadline is reporting Del Toro will headline gangster flick, The Corporation.
After sparking a small bidding war between major studios, rights to the adaptation were eventually picked up by Paramount Pictures and Leonardo DiCapario’s Appian Way. Lifting inspiration from TJ English’s 100-page proposal, The Corporation: An Epic Story of the Cuban American Underworld, Paramount’s feature will have Del Toro play the part of a Jose Miguel Battle Sr., whose remarkable life is chronicled all across English’s generation-spanning adventure. David Matthews of Vinyl fame will pen the movie screenplay.
Often referred to as The Godfather, The Corporation will explore Jose Miguel’s early days as a CIA trainee, before going on to become the head honcho of the Cuban underworld. It’s a remarkable story that almost defies belief, and one that is sure to harbor a lot of dramatic potential for Del Toro to dive into.
At the time of writing, there’s no mention of a director to take the reins, but don’t expect this project to sit on the shelf for too long now that Benicio Del Toro is in line to star.
