This past summer’s “F1” proved that there’s still a fairly lucrative market for movies about fast cars on racetracks. But the upcoming “Maserati: The Brothers” should offer a racecar story that’s less about pulse-pounding automotive stunts and more about the drama of a capitalist success story. Indeed, this “racecar story” (I’m using the term quite generously), which happens to be a true one, will be concerned with a protagonist who makes such vehicles rather than operating them. This may not be the fare of some wildly entertaining crowd-pleaser, but “Maserati: The Brothers” will come with the star power of two venerable Hollywood icons.
The Legendary Pacino and Hopkins as Early-20th-Century Capitalists
The two actors in question are Al Pacino and Anthony Hopkins. The former got his big break playing the young Mafioso Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” (1972), one of the most prestigious films ever made. The latter became a horror-genre legend and a Best Actor Oscar winner (there aren’t many who can claim to be both) for his role in “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) as a ghoulishly charming and refined serial killer – the kind of psychopath who once washed down a gourmet meal of human remains with fine Chianti, and who now occupies himself in his cell by drawing detailed portraits of Florence’s skyline.
“Maserati: The Brothers” will see Pacino and Hopkins in Italian roles of a much less sinister nature. As its title suggests, it will tell the true story of the Maserati brothers, who in the early 20th century variously contributed to a company that manufactures racecars and luxury vehicles. There were six Maserati brothers in total, but neither Pacino nor Hopkins will be playing any of them. Rather, they will both portray financiers by the respective names of Vincenzo Vaccaro and Luca Antonelli.
As for the Rest of the Cast…
Both of these actors will be in the supporting cast of “Maserati: The Brothers.” The central character will be Alfieri Maserati, played by Michele Morrone, an Italian actor known for the “365 Days” series (2020-22) of erotic thrillers. Salvatore Esposito, best known (and acclaimed) in America for his role as a violent Italian mobster in “Fargo season 4″ (2020), will play Bindo Maserati. Per IMDb, three more brothers – Ettore, Carlo, and Ernesto – have been identified as being played by Matteo Bassi, Lorenzo de Moor, and Leo Ferrari, respectively. Jessica Alba (“Dark Angel,” “Sin City”) and Andy García (the “Ocean’s” trilogy) have also been cast in the film.
Production Breakdown – What We Know
“Maserati: The Brothers” is directed by Robert Moresco, who won an Academy Award as co-screenwriter of 2005’s “Crash” (also a Best Picture winner). True to its setting, this period drama is being filmed in various locations around Italy, including Rome, Modena, and Bologna. The shoot commenced in December of 2024, though Pacino was only announced (via Deadline) as having been cast in May of the following year, just before principal photography entered its second stage. The premiere of “Maserati: The Brothers” was projected in that article as “early fall 2025,” but in fact it has yet to be released, and production is still underway.
Conclusion
While this mysterious delay may be cause for great curiosity, it’s hard to harbor strong misgivings about a project with such auspicious talent attached to it. Keep your eyes peeled in the coming months if you have any interest in a dramatized real-life success story (one that may be responsible for your own personal transportation, depending on your wealth and automotive tastes) featuring two of the most talented actors in history.
