Al Pacino To Be Directed By Brian DePalma In Joe Paterno Movie

The Joe Paterno movie is officially happening with Al Pacino set to star and Scarface director Brian DePalma set to direct.

Al Pacino has been rumored to be attached to play Joe Paterno for months in the controversial biopic about the disgraced Penn State football coach.

Joe Paterno had his legacy ruined when it was discovered that Jerry Sandusky, his defensive coordinator, had several relationships with underage boys. Paterno was fired by Penn State for keeping Sandusky’s secret. After being let go, he was almost immediately diagnosed with cancer and died a short time later.

Deadline now has the exclusive that the movie is officially greenlit and with Al Pacino re-teaming with Brian DePalma, whom he previously worked with on Scarface and Carlito’s Way.

The film is being produced by Edward R. Pressman with the working title HappyValley, but no other details are currently available.

About the project, Pressman tells Deadline:

“Happy Valley reunites the Scarface and Carlito’s Way team of De Palma & Pacino for the third time and I can’t think of a better duo to tell this story of a complex, intensely righteous man who was brought down by his own tragic flaw.”

Before Paterno was unceremoniously fired from Penn State, he was the winningest head coach in college football history and a beloved figure on campus.

It will be interesting to see what take Brian DePalma and Al Pacino use to portray the coach. He could either be shown as a hero fallen from grace or a quiet monster putting on a facade of greatness.

How do you think Joe Paterno should be portrayed in Happy Valley?