John Travolta to Play Mobster John Gotti

5:30 PM PDT 3/30/2011 by Gregg Kilday

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Marty Ingels will exec produce 'Gotti: Three Generations'; Nick Cassavetes will direct from script by Leo Rossi.

John Travolta is set to play John Gotti Sr., the mobster known as the Dapper Don, in the indie pic Gotti: Three Generations.

Nick Cassavetes will direct the screenplay by Leo Rossi, which focuses on the relationship between John Gotti Sr., the head of the Gambino crime family who died in prison in 2002, and his son John Gotti Jr., who took over the family business for his father, served time in prison, but then successfully escaped conviction in four subsequent racketeering trials.

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Marc Fiore is producing for his Fiore Films. Marty Ingels, the former comic turned talent broker, has come on board the project as executive producer.

Gotti Jr., who's given his blessing to the project, plans to join the producers, Travolta and Cassavetes at a press conference on April 12 at the Sheraton New York Hotel.

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Travolta, repped by WME, last appeared in the action thriller From Paris with Love.