In September we reported that Mickey Rourke had been cast as hit man Richard Kuklinski in an adaptation of Philip Carlo’s The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer.
Now comes news, via Production Weekly, that James Franco, Michael Shannon and Benicio Del Toro have signed on for The Iceman… a completely different film to be directed by Ariel Vromen!
Kuklinski’s story has been told twice before in HBO specials; one in 1991 and the other in 2001. His tale is wild and at times unbelievable, which is perfect for a Hollywood interpretation, but to have dueling projects? Both titles have been in development for a while, so the fact that they are both assembling casts at the same time means this is likely to get even more confusing as the productions move forward.
At some point, one of these properties is going to have to change its name, but for now here is where we stand:
The Ice Man – starring Mickey Rourke.
The Iceman – starring Michael Shannon, James Franco and Benicio Del Toro.