Corrente verified a report that appeared in the Hollywood Reporter that director Steven Soderbergh, whose films include Ocean’s Eleven and Twelve, would be the executive producer of The Prince of Providence and that Oliver Platt would play the former mayor.
The film, which Corrente will direct, is based on the best-selling book by Providence Journal investigative reporter Mike Stanton. David Mamet wrote the screenplay, with an additional writing credit going to Howard Korder.
Corrente said that Platt, whom he courted as early as late last August when he brought him to Providence for a dinner at a posh restaurant, was perfect for the role. Platt was seen most recently as New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in the eight-part HBO series The Bronx Is Burning and his credits include the films Kinsey and The Three Musketeers. . . .
In the past, Corrente had negotiated with better-known movie stars fort the lead role of Buddy Cianci, including Nicolas Cage and Russell Crowe, who at one time was said to be working on a rewrite of the script.
But for a long time the role went unfilled and some people were beginning to say that the film would never be made. “Everyone thought I was dragging my feet on this,’’ he said, “but I was just waiting for the right actor."