{"id":1226,"date":"2025-03-21T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/?p=1226"},"modified":"2025-03-27T12:34:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T12:34:47","slug":"robert-de-niros-double-role-mob-movie-flops-as-one-of-2025s-biggest-bombs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/21\/robert-de-niros-double-role-mob-movie-flops-as-one-of-2025s-biggest-bombs\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert De Niro\u2019s double-role mob movie flops as one of 2025\u2019s biggest bombs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\"Robert\t<\/div>
Screen legend Robert De Niro will have fans seeing double in The Alto Knights (Picture: Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Robert De Niro<\/a> acting opposite himself as the two lead characters in his new mob movie has not produced anything like double the dough at the box office.<\/p>\n

The Alto Knights<\/a> opened on Friday but is already on track to be one of the biggest flops of 2025.<\/p>\n

Its first weekend in cinemas resulted in a poor showing of just $3.1miilion (\u00a32.39m) in the US, against a reported production budget of around $50m (\u00a338.7m).<\/p>\n

Add the foreign haul and that’s only \u00a31.9m (\u00a31.46m) more, making for an overall worldwide box office performance of $5.06m (\u00a33.9m), just 10 per cent of its initial cost.<\/p>\n

The movie opened in a very disappointing sixth place the same day as Snow White<\/a> – which hit number one but also fell short of its somewhat cautious estimate of a $100m (\u00a377.3m) global haul with $87.3m (\u00a367.5m).<\/p>\n

Outside any last-minute miracle, it’s unlikely The Alto Knights will bounce back with higher figure, meaning the movie is on track to lose money instead.<\/p>\n

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class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder\">\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"metro-related-video-carousel__related-video-placeholder-headline\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\twindow.addEventListener(‘metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded’, function(data) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tif (typeof(data.detail) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === ‘undefined’ || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === ‘undefined’) {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\treturn;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar player = data.detail.carousel.el_;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar container = player.closest(‘.metro-video-player’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tvar placeholder = container.querySelector(‘.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tcontainer.removeChild(placeholder);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tcontainer.classList.add(‘metro-video-player–related-videos-loaded’);<br \/>\n\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It marks the second box office flop in a row for Warner Bros after Bong Joon Ho teamed up with Robert Pattinson <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/03\/07\/this-unpredictably-entertaining-film-can-watch-this-weekend-22681502\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">for the off-beat sci-fi Mickey 17<\/a>, which has earned $110m (\u00a385m) globally so far but cost a reported $120m (\u00a392m) to make and would have needed more like $250m (\u00a3193m) to break even.<\/p>\n<section class=\"metro-comment-cta\">\n<div class=\"metro-comment-cta__inner\"><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text-wrap\"><title>Comment now<\/title><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text\">Have you seen The Alto Knights?<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>The Alto Knights still presents an intriguing offering to fans though, as <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2024\/01\/15\/harrison-ford-robert-de-niro-cringe-labelled-hot-20114685\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">81-year-old screen legend De Niro<\/a> stars as both Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, real-life mob bosses whose childhood friendship decays into a deadly rivalry.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"267\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_244413446-e5e2.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22758686\" alt=\"This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Robert De Niro as Vito Genovese, left, and Robert De Niro as Frank Costello in a scene from "The Alto Knights." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t<\/div><figcaption>The 81-year-old appears opposite himself as two non-related characters, real-life mob bosses Vito Genovese (L) and Frank Costello (R) (Picture: Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The film, which has been in the works since the early 1970s, is the perfect vehicle for <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/03\/19\/adolescence-star-stephen-graham-breaks-tears-live-interview-22753258\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a performer of De Niro\u2019s calibre<\/a>, supported by Debra Messing, Cosmo Jarvis, Kathrine Narducci and <a data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/the-sopranos\/\">The Sopranos<\/a> star Michael Rispoli.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/02\/21\/netflix-fans-cancel-weekend-plans-discovering-incredible-political-thriller-22600667\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The consistently in-demand star<\/a> looks \u2013 and sounds \u2013 most like himself as Costello in the film but has been given a dramatic transformation to star as Genovese as well.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not just the magic of movie make-up either, although the Raging Bull actor looks totally different with prosthetics on the lower half of his face.<\/p>\n<p>He also displays totally different body language and an altered voice with a much higher pitch and a rapid-fire delivery, to the extent that unless you already know it\u2019s De Niro x De Niro in this film, you could be forgiven for looking up the actor afterwards \u2013 or wondering if it\u2019s Joe Pesci under the make-up.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_244413571-5694.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22758683\" alt=\"This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Robert De Niro as Vito Genovese in a scene from "The Alto Knights." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t<\/div><figcaption>For Genovese, De Niro’s face is transformed by make-up and prosthetics, as well as his performance being very different (Picture: Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Directed by Rain Man filmmaker Barry Levinson and produced by industry icon Irwin Winkler, 93, The Alto Knights is a De Niro film in its bones, being reminiscent of movies he\u2019s starred in before \u2013 such as The Irishman, Goodfellas, The Untouchables, The Godfather Part II, Mean Streets and Once Upon A Time in America.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also written by Goodfellas and Casino scribe Nicholas Pileggi.<\/p>\n<p>But we\u2019ve moved beyond the hype around De Niro appearing in films and scenes opposite friend and fellow Hollywood heavyweight Al Pacino, to him starring opposite himself (insert the \u2018You talkin\u2019 to me?\u2019 mirror reference from Taxi Driver that no journalist has been able to resist mentioning).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_244239516-ba59.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22758716\" alt=\"NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 17: Robert De Niro takes part in SiriusXM's Town Hall with the cast of "The Alto Knights" hosted by Andy Cohen at SiriusXM Studios on March 17, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord\/Getty Images for SiriusXM)\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t<\/div><figcaption>De Niro has revealed the secret to him acting his best during the scenes where both of his characters appear (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It was producer Winkler who had the idea that De Niro should play the parts of both Costello and Genovese, which De Niro agreed to as it \u2018would have been more justification for my doing another gangster movie\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>The star revealed that he was still concerned about making sure he could differentiate well enough between both characters though, particularly in the scenes that he shared with himself.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I needed another actor opposite me, I couldn\u2019t just do it someone reading off a page, so this guy Joe Bacino, I decided on him doing it, and he learned both parts,\u2019 the actor revealed on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iwFOQrxcQQA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The View<\/a>. \u2018So I worked with him and it was a tremendous help.\u2019<\/p>\n<figure class=\"img-container shareable-item wp-caption\">\n<div class=\"img-wrap\">\n\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/SEI_244412945_a2737d.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-22760761\" alt=\"Film Review - The Alto Knights\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t<\/div><figcaption>As Frank Costello, De Niro is more recognisable as himself (pictured with co-star Debra Messing) (Picture: Jennifer Rose Clasen\/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Alto Knights also boasts Heat\u2019s cinematographer, Dante Spinotti, with Levinson also having directed mob movies with 1982\u2019s Diner and 1991\u2019s Bugsy.<\/p>\n<p>The film is named after a real-life Manhattan social club which Genovese took over in the 1950s.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>The Alto Knights is is cinemas from today.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Got a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\">Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/submit-stuff\/\">Submit Stuff<\/a> page – we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p class=\"text-justify mb-2\" >Screen legend Robert De Niro will have fans seeing double in The Alto Knights (Picture: Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) Robert De Niro acting opposite himself as the two lead characters in his new mob movie has not produced anything like double the dough at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1226"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1226"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1226\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1234,"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1226\/revisions\/1234"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.nichesitetool.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}