Robert De Niro has unpacked playing two characters as a new image from The Alto Knights revealed one of his bloodied mobsters after a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly encounter. The Alto Knights‘ story follows De Niro portraying rival mobsters Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, who begin waging a war against one another after Genovese orders a hit on Costello. While the latter survives, he decides to retire from the Mafia, but still decides to plot against his former friend for trying to take him out. The film is directed by Barry Levinson (Rain Man) and written by Nicholas Pileggi (The Irishman).

Now, Empire has released a new image of De Niro in The Alto Knights, showing one of his mobster roles slumped over against a broken mirror, seemingly after surviving a hit. The lead actor also spoke about his time filming the movie, explaining what it was like to portray two different, rival mobsters in the film. He described their similarities in character, emphasizing how their attributes made it “intriguing” to bring them both to life at the same time. Check out the new image, alongside what De Niro had to say, below:

The idea of playing the two different characters was intriguing to me. They’re like two different sides of the same coin. One is more rational, more diplomatic. That’s the [Frank] Costello character. The [Vito] Genovese character is more erratic, more impulsive.

What De Niro’s Statement & New Image Say About The Alto Knights’ Lead Characters

He’s Playing Both Of Them For A Reason

Based on real events, The Alto Knights‘ true story involves a feud between Genovese and Costello spurred by the attempted hit. It’s also clear from both its new image and De Niro’s new statement that the movie will highlight their past together and the tragic circumstances that pit them against one another. This may include their real-world ᴀssociations with Manhattan’s Lower East Side gang, run by Lucky Luciano in the 1920s, along with their legal troubles as they continued to gain major influence over American crime groups.

De Niro’s statement also emphasizes why he’s portraying both characters, as their similarities make it fitting for them to be played by the same actor. Alto Knights‘ dual role is therefore tailored to the lead actor’s strengths, as he’ll be portraying two different types of characters that channel his talent from various past roles. It’s an approach he’s not only excited about, but that also seems befitting of the characters he’s portraying, physically symbolizing their former closeness through portraying them both at the same time.

Our Take On De Niro’s Dual Role In The Alto Knights

A Perfect Duality For The Big Screen

Because of how different both of his characters are, it makes sense that De Niro would be interested in portraying two rival gangsters in The Alto Knights. The trailer has already proven the distinction of his approach, with both characters reflecting different values in the mob as a cat-and-mouse game between the pair begins. While history has already written how their rivalry ends, it should still prove interesting to see De Niro bring it to life on the big screen.

The Alto Knights arrives in theaters on March 21, 2024.

Source: Empire