Al Pacino to Star in Johnny Depp’s Amedeo Modigliani Biopic

Johnny Depp’s directing effort Modi has cast Al Pacino, Riccardo Scamarcio and Pierre Niney.

The project is a biopic of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, known as “Modi” to his friends, and is based on Dennis McIntyre’s play. Modiglianiwith a screenplay by Jerzy and Mary Kromolowski.

The synopsis for the story, which takes place over 48 hour period, reads, “On the run from the police, Modi’s desire to end his career and leave the city is dismissed by fellow Bohemians: French artist Maurice Utrillo, the Belarusian-born Chaim Soutine and his English muse and lover, Beatrice Hastings. Modi seeks advice from his Polish art dealer and friend Leopold Zborowski, but the chaos reaches a crescendo when he’s faced with a collector who could change his life.”

Scamarcio (Loro, Caravaggio’s Shadow) will play Modigliani, with Niney (Yves Saint Laurent) playing French artist Maurice Utrillo and Pacino, who starred with Depp in Donnie Brascoset to appear as art collector Gangnat.

Production will take this fall in Budapest. Depp’s European production company, IN.2 Films, and producer Barry Navidi are behind the project.

Modi will be introduced to buyers at Cannes, with The Veterans handling international sales.