De Niro and Pacino target a 'Righteous Kill'

Acting icons to finally share the screen for longer than five minutes

May 18 2007

Fans of the charged diner showdown between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in 'Heat' take note: the acting behemoths have been cast together in thriller 'Righteous Kill'.

Jon Avnet, whose previous credits include yet-to-be-released Pacino collaboration '88 Minutes', will helm the $60 million production, from a script by 'Inside Man' writer Russell Gewirtz.

The acting heavyweights will play cops united in their pursuit of a serial killer, with filming set to commence on August 6 in Connecticut.

'This is an event in world history; they [De Niro and Pacino] were in two scenes in 'Heat', in this movie they are in the whole thing together,' explained Avi Lerner, co-chairman of Nu Image and Millennium Films, which will share the cost of the independent production with Emmett/Furla Films.

Given its high-profile nature, the fact that 'Righteous Kill' is an indie comes as something of a surprise, yet Lerner appears in no doubt that this is the right way to go: 'We believe the independent world will do it more cost-effectively and with more of the heart. When we make something, we allow filmmakers to be filmmakers.'

Hopefully we'll get to see De Niro and Pacino do more than share a cup o' joe and a macho handshake this time around.