Gandolfini plays mayor in 'Pelham'

Actor set for Columbia Pictures remake

By MICHAEL FLEMING

James Gandolfini will go from Jersey don to Gotham mayor.

Gandolfini will play the mayor of New York City in Columbia Pictures remake "The Taking of Pelham 123," directed by Tony Scott and starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta.

Gandolfini will plays a pol under incredible pressure to end a crisis when a packed subway car is ransomed by a criminal (Travolta) and his gang.

Post-"The Sopranos," Gandolfini shot the Spike Jonze-directed "Where the Wild Things Are," and his Attaboy Films banner is producing an untitled drama that casts him as author Ernest Hemingway for director Philip Kaufman.

Gandolfini recently made a deal to return to HBO -- where he has an exclusive producing deal -- to play Sonny Vaccaro, the godfather of grassroots basketball whose camp launched the careers of dozens of NBA superstars.

Gandolfini and his Attaboy Films partner Alexandra Ryan will exec produce "ABCD Camp" with Dan Halsted and Baron Davis, the Golden State Warriors guard who formed Verso Entertainment with Cash Warren. "Friday Night Lights" scribe David Aaron Cohen is writing the drama.

Deal for ``The Taking of Pelham 123'' is the first for Gandolfini that Endeavor's made since the actor joined the agency.

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http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117982798.html

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