Steven Spielberg is working on a movie about New York mob legend Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, Page Six has learned.
The saga of Sammy the Bull is perhaps the most notorious episode in modern mob history, with the Gambino underboss turning state’s witness on his boss, John Gotti, in 1992.
But Hollywood has never turned its spotlight on him — until now.
Spielberg’s famed production company, Amblin, confirmed chatter that the picture is in the works, telling us it’s been in development for some time but has yet to make it into production.
Meanwhile, we’re told screenwriter Nick Pileggi, the pen behind mob classics including “Goodfellas,” “Casino” and “The Irishman,” has written a script, and sources say “Brothers McMullen” director Ed Burns — who acted for Spielberg in “Saving Private Ryan” — is in talks to direct.
If it makes it onto a set, it would also be a rare foray into gangster flicks for Spielberg, the three-time Oscar winner better known for his sci-fi and war movies.
Gravano turned on Gotti after feds played him secretly recorded wiretaps in which Gotti appeared to blame Gravano for several murders.
His testimony helped bring down the once untouchable “Teflon Don,” who was convicted of murder and racketeering in April 1992 and sentenced to life in prison that June.
Gotti died behind bars in 2002.
But Gravano’s change of heart wasn’t enough to keep him out of prison entirely. In 1994, he was sentenced to five years after admitting his involvement in 19 mob-related murders. His cooperation earned him a significantly lightened stretch.
But you can’t teach an old bull new tricks … or something like that.
After relocating to Arizona under the Witness Protection Program, Gravano was arrested in 2000 for his involvement in an ecstasy trafficking operation.
He was sentenced in 2002 to 20 years, serving 17 and a half of those, getting out earlyafter being a “model inmate.”
There have been some more minor productions about his life before. A 1998 television movie — “Witness To The Mob” starring Nicholas Turturro — detailed his time cooperating with the government. And William Forsythe played the underboss in HBO’s “Gotti” in 2018.
This time it appears the bull may be getting into the ring. Sources close to Gravano tell us he’s at least aware of a big production about him.
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