Robert De Niro to star in drama film 'Wise Guys'

Hollywood veteran Robert De Niro is set to play the lead in filmmaker Barry Levinson's mob drama 'Wise Guys'. It is a period piece centered on Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, a pair of Italian Americans running two separate crime families during the mid-20th century.

According to the reports, De Niro will be taking on both key roles in the film scheduled to be released theatrically.

'Goodfellas' scribe Nicholas Pileggi has penned the script.

'Wise Guys' marks De Niro and Levinson's fifth collaboration following Emmy-nominated movie 'The Wizard of Lies', 'What Just Happened', 'Wag the Dog' and 'Sleepers'.