The upcoming mystery thriller Assassination was already a must-watch because Al Pacino (The Irishman) was attached to star in it. Today, however, it was revealed that other industry heavyweights are set to join the cast: Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser, and Bryan Cranston are also gearing up to tell the story of the assassination of JFK. The movie will be directed by Barry Levinson, and the cameras start rolling in early 2025 in Boston.
Even though movie lovers might think that the story of JFK has been done to death, Assassination will offer a different perspective on it. The story will be told through the eyes of Dorothy Kilgallen, a crime reporter who, at the time of the tragedy, was vocal about her suspicions of killer Lee Harvey Oswald not having acted alone. The problem was, the more she investigated, the more Dorothy uncovered details of a conspiracy that made her a target of the CIA, Mafia bosses and the FBI.
According to Assassination’s producers Jason Sosnoff and Corey Large, one of the most compelling aspects of following Dorothy was because the journalist was “relentless and courageous,” which, of course, makes for a high-stakes story that everyone loves to watch. Sosnoff added that the movie is also about “uncovering of what happened that day in Dallas.” Large capped it off by stating that they are “overjoyed” about bringing “one of the most fascinating untold stories” to life.
Who Was Dorothy Kilgallen?
In an official statement, Levinson echoed the feeling of the movie producers and teased what kind of events we’ll see play out in Assassination, including the main character’s ill fate. He stated:
“Dorothy Kilgallen was the first female crime reporter in America. She was the only woman to ever cover the JFK case. The only reporter to speak with Jack Ruby. With back-channel sources to the Warren Commission, she started putting pieces together that no one else did. She died under very suspicious circumstances, but it was never investigated.”
Even though it isn’t explicitly stated, it is safe to assume that Chastain will take on the role of Dorothy. The actor is already a household name when it comes to powerhouse performances and the Oscar winner tends to take on roles that challenge our perceptions and pre-conceived notions of what a woman should be and behave like. She was recently seen (and praised for her work) in Mother’s Instinct and Memory.
Assassination is yet to get a release window. If the studio sets a late 2025 release, though, it’s likely that they’re eyeing the Awards season in 2026.
via Collider