Tom Hardy gave us a first look at his transformation into Al Capone yesterday (March 25), a role he’s been in talks to play since at least 2012.
He posted this photo to his Instagram account of himself in character as the Brooklyn mobster, followed by an array of emojis:
A post shared by Tom Hardy (@tomhardy) on
So far, so brooding. This is hardly the first time he’s played a gangster, either. He portrayed London mobsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray in Legend, and then there’s his portrayal of Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders and Bill Sikes in the 2007 TV adaptation of Oliver Twist.
Al Capone is one character he’s wanted to play for some time now. He was initially lined with the role in 2012, when it was first reported he was attached to star in a film called Cicero by Harry Potter director David Yates. That film has so far failed to see the light of day, but four years later it was announced Tom would play one of America’s most notorious criminals in Fonzo by Fantastic Four director Josh Trank.
This new biopic will reportedly follow the last days in Capone’s life, when he suffered dementia at the age of 47 as a result of syphilis.
According to production notes the biopic will examine how “his past becomes present as harrowing memories of his violent and brutal origins melt into his waking life.”
That means it will likely feature flashbacks to his younger days. It will also star Twin Peaks‘ Kyle MacLachlan, Freaks and Geeks‘ Linda Cardellini, and Wayward Pines‘ Matt Dillon, whose roles are yet to be announced. We can also look for Dunkirk star Jack Lowden, as an FBI agent called Crawford.
Trank added an intriguing detail too, when he posted this on-set photo over the weekend:
Yep, that’s Stephen Graham, who famously played Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire. Is he giving him some tips? Or simply paying a friendly visit?
Tom has certainly got a lot to live up to. Not only is Capone one of America’s most infamous criminals, but he’s also already been played by Robert De Niro in The Untouchables and Rod Steiger in Al Capone.
What do you think of Tom playing Al Capone?