Gandolfini wants pic deal for 'Christmas'
Thesp to ink for pic about man who hires a family
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Story follows a wealthy young man (Affleck) who, stricken with a variety of neuroses that preclude him from having a normal family life, elects to hire a family with which to share the holidays. However, he rapidly discovers they are even more psychotic than his own troubled clan, and that proves his undoing. Gandolfini would play the patriarch.
Insiders familiar with the talks said a deal hinges on resolving some scheduling conflicts for the thesp: Gandolfini is juggling a two week stint in Artisan-distribbed indie pic "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" and, naturally, would need to be ready to return to lense the fifth and presumably, final, season of "Sopranos" next spring.
The 75-minute fourth-season finale of "The Sopranos" on HBO drew 12.5 million viewers -- the second most watched program in HBO history, after the show's season opener, which clocked 13.4 million.
Chances for a deal look good, if the past is any indication: The Writers & Artists-repped Gandolfini has made a bigscreen appearance in two other DreamWorks features. He sandwiched 2001 pics "The Mexican" and "The Last Castle" in between "Sopranos" shoots in 2000.
"Surviving" is produced by Betty Thomas and Jenno Topping, and will be helmed by "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo" helmer Mike Mitchell.
