Al Pacino signs on for 'Son of No One'

BERLIN -- Al Pacino is slipping into the shoes vacated by Robert De Niro in the police thriller "Son of No One," being directed by Dito Montiel and produced by Holly Wiersma.

Hannibal Pictures is pacting with Nu Image/Millenium Films to co-produce and co-distribute the movie, which begins shooting in New York on March 22.

The script, written by Montiel, centers on a young cop who is assigned to a precinct in the working class neighborhood where he grew up, with an old secret surfacing and threatening to destroy his life and family.

Channing Tatum has been sought to play the young cop, although no deal is in place.

Terrence Howard, Ray Liotta and Katie Holmes are in various stages of dealmaking to join the cast.

"No One" is one of the hotter presales titles at the European Film Market. Territories signed within the last few days include the Middle East (Eagle), Scandinavia (Scanbox), Turkey (Horizon) Poland (Monolith), Romania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia (Grandview Castle) and Latin America (Swen). Deals also were made for the U.K. and Spain, with a deal with a Canadian distributor expected imminently.

ICM-repped Pacino last worked with Nu Image on 2008's "Righteous Kill."