Once Upon a Time in America Officially Getting a Prequel

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Sergio Leone’s classic gangster film, originally released in 1982, is getting a new look. A documentary about the making of the movie is now being released, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how it was created.

According to reports, Italy’s Leone Film Group is developing a movie about how Sergio Leone created his classic film, Once Upon a Time in America. The film will be directed and co-written by Giuseppe Stasi and Giancarlo Fontana, the team behind The Bad Guy. They’re collaborating on the script with Ludovica Rampoldi and Davide Serino, who also worked on The Bad Guy.

Sergio Leone’s Journey to Making the Film Is Explored

Raffaella Leone, Sergio Leone’s daughter, describes the film as the story of a man dedicated to a lifelong dream. She explains it took her father fifteen years to complete the movie, during which he focused on nothing else, and that it’s all presented with his signature sense of irony.

Raffaella Leone, co-CEO of Leone Film Group, is producing the film. Joining her as a producer is Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio, who is both the chief strategy officer of EssilorLuxottica in Italy and president of Ray-Ban.

Leon Film Group has several big projects underway, including Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America. They’re also developing a film adaptation of Blair Holde’s novel series, Bad Boy’s Girl, which they plan to present at the Cannes Film Festival. Another upcoming movie, Days of Abandonment, is scheduled to begin filming in early 2027. Plus, they’re starting to plan an English-language remake of the Italian comedy Madly.

The Movie Was a Major Passion Project for Sergio Leone

I’m a big fan of Sergio Leone, and Once Upon a Time in America is his final film in the Once Upon a Time Trilogy. I loved his earlier Westerns, Once Upon a Time in the West and Duck, You Sucker!, so I was really excited for this one. The movie has an amazing cast – Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Joe Pesci, Burt Young, Tuesday Weld, and Treat Williams all star in it. Plus, Ennio Morricone did the score again, and his music is just perfect, like he did on the other two films.

The film stars Robert De Niro as David “Noodles” Aaronson and James Woods as his childhood friend, Max. It follows their journey from impoverished Jewish boys growing up in New York City’s Lower East Side to powerful gangsters during the Prohibition. As they become successful bootleggers and gain wealth, their friendship becomes strained and complex. The movie explores the price of criminal success and the unexpected moral compromises it demands.

You can currently watch Once Upon a Time in America for free on Plex, or stream it with a subscription to Prime Video.

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2026-05-13 21:36