Robert De Niro is playing two different people. In the same movie. And they hate each other. Honestly, when the Alto Knights trailer first dropped, that was the only thing anyone could talk about. We’ve seen the de-aging tech in The Irishman, and we’ve seen the "twin" gimmick in plenty of B-movies, but this feels different because it’s Barry Levinson directing. It’s not just a VFX flex; it’s a weird, gritty, double-header about the golden age of the American Mafia that looks surprisingly old-school despite the digital trickery.
The footage introduces us to Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. These weren't just "tough guys" in fedoras. They were the architects of the modern underworld, and the movie focuses on the mid-1950s—specifically the 1957 assassination attempt on Costello that changed everything. If you've watched the teaser, you noticed the tension isn't just in the gunfire. It’s in the quiet, menacing way De Niro plays both sides of a power struggle. One man is a refined "Prime Minister" of the underworld; the other is a hungry, violent usurper.
What the Alto Knights Trailer Reveals About the Plot
The trailer sets a very specific tone. It's dark. It's smoky. It looks like it smells like expensive cigars and cheap gunpowder. We see Costello surviving a gunshot to the head—a real-life event that actually happened on May 2, 1957, in the lobby of the Majestic apartments. The shooter? Vincent "The Chin" Gigante, acting on Genovese's orders.
Basically, the film covers the friction between the old guard and the new blood. Costello wanted to keep things quiet and political. Genovese wanted total control. Seeing De Niro navigate both psyches is the big selling point here. It's a massive swing for a guy who has already defined the genre in The Godfather Part II, Goodfellas, and Casino. You'd think he'd be bored of the mob by now. Clearly, he isn't.
Nicholas Pileggi wrote the script. That’s a name that should make any cinema nerd sit up straight. He’s the guy who wrote Wiseguy (which became Goodfellas) and Casino. Having Pileggi back in the writer's chair means we aren't getting a sanitized, "Hollywood" version of these events. We’re getting the dirt. We’re getting the specific, mundane details of how these guys ate, talked, and betrayed each other over Sunday dinner.
The Duel Role: Gimmick or Genius?
There's a lot of skepticism about the double-casting. I get it. Sometimes when an actor plays two roles, it pulls you out of the story. You start looking for the "seam" where the two shots were stitched together.
But Levinson is a veteran. He knows how to frame a shot. In the Alto Knights trailer, there’s a brief moment where both characters are effectively in the same space, and the lighting is used to distinguish their personalities. Genovese is often shrouded in harsher, colder shadows. Costello is bathed in the warmer, more "established" glow of high-society New York. It’s a visual shorthand that tells you exactly who these people are before they even open their mouths.
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The makeup work is also doing a lot of heavy lifting. This isn't just De Niro in a different hat. The prosthetic work to make him look like Genovese—a man known for a particularly blunt, pugnacious face—is impressive. It’s a stark contrast to the more elegant, weathered look he sports as Costello.
Why This Movie Matters in 2026
We are currently in a weird spot for mid-budget adult dramas. Everything is either a $200 million superhero sequel or a $2 million indie horror flick. Alto Knights (formerly titled Wise Guys) is that rare beast: a high-pedigree, R-rated crime drama built on performance and history.
Warner Bros. Discovery has been shuffling its slate a lot lately. The fact that this movie is getting a full theatrical push suggests they think they have a hit. It’s a throwback. People miss the "De Niro mob movie" experience. But there’s a catch.
Genovese and Costello aren't fictional characters. The history is well-documented. If the film strays too far into "legend," it risks losing the very fans who love Pileggi’s work. Based on the trailer, they seem to be sticking to the facts of the 1950s Commission and the fallout of the botched hit. That hit on Costello was the catalyst for the famous Apalachin Meeting, where the mob was finally "outed" to the American public.
The Supporting Cast You Might Have Missed
While De Niro is the sun that this entire production orbits, the supporting players in the trailer look solid. Cosmo Jarvis is in there—he’s been on a tear lately with Shōgun. Having him in a period piece like this adds a layer of modern intensity.
Then there’s Debra Messing as Bobbie Costello. It’s a bit of left-field casting, but it works. In the few frames we see of her, she captures that specific 1950s "mob wife" stoicism—someone who knows exactly where the money comes from but knows better than to ask.
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Kathrine Narducci is also present. If you recognize her, it’s because she’s a veteran of this genre, notably playing Charmaine Bucco in The Sopranos. Her presence gives the film an immediate sense of authenticity. It feels like she belongs in this world because, cinematically, she’s lived in it for decades.
Visual Style and Direction
Barry Levinson has a very "naturalist" eye. Think back to Donnie Brasco. It didn’t look like a music video. It looked like the 70s—brown, gritty, and slightly depressing. The Alto Knights trailer suggests he’s doing the same for the 50s.
The color palette is desaturated. There’s a lot of olive green, deep mahogany, and cigarette-smoke blue. It feels heavy. When Costello sits in that barber chair—a scene teased heavily—the tension is palpable because the camera stays tight. You feel the vulnerability of a powerful man with a razor at his throat.
It’s also worth noting the pacing of the trailer itself. It doesn't rely on the "BWAHM" sounds of modern action trailers. It relies on dialogue. "You’re a legend, Frank. But legends belong in the past." That line alone sets the stakes. It’s about the brutal reality of aging in a profession where retirement usually happens in a casket.
Addressing the "Irishman" Comparisons
Let's be real. Everyone is going to compare this to The Irishman. Both star De Niro. Both use tech to alter his appearance. Both involve Nicholas Pileggi (or at least his influence).
However, Alto Knights looks faster. It looks meaner. The Irishman was a 3.5-hour meditation on regret and the loneliness of death. This looks like a power struggle. It’s about the peak of the mob's influence, not the long, slow decline. The trailer highlights the "war" aspect. We see cars exploding. We see men being dragged into rooms they won't leave.
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Also, Levinson’s style is much more direct than Scorsese’s operatic approach. While Scorsese looks for the soul of the character, Levinson often looks at the mechanics of the situation. How does a hit actually go down? How do these guys talk when they think no one is listening? That’s the "Pileggi touch" at work.
What to Watch for Next
If you’re hyped for this after seeing the Alto Knights trailer, there are a few things you should probably do to prep. First, read The Five Families by Selwyn Raab. It gives you the full context of the Genovese-Costello feud. It makes the scenes in the trailer much more impactful when you realize Costello actually did try to retire after being shot, effectively handing the keys to the kingdom to the man who tried to kill him.
Secondly, keep an eye on the release date. It’s shifted a few times, which usually makes people nervous, but in this case, it seems to be about finding a window where a serious drama can actually breathe.
Actionable Insights for Fans
To get the most out of the upcoming release, follow these steps:
- Study the 1957 Majestic Shooting: Understanding why Gigante failed to kill Costello (and why he shouted "This is for you, Frank!" before firing) adds a layer of "truth is stranger than fiction" to the movie.
- Track the VFX House: Look into the studio handling the dual-performance tech. If it's the same team that worked on recent high-end de-aging projects, expect a seamless experience. If it's a smaller house, be prepared for some "uncanny valley" moments.
- Revisit Levinson’s Crime Work: Watch Bugsy or Donnie Brasco this week. It will prime your brain for the specific rhythm of a Barry Levinson movie, which is much slower and more deliberate than a typical action film.
- Ignore the "Mob Fatigue" Critics: People have been saying the mob genre is dead since the 70s. It never dies; it just evolves. Alto Knights is the latest evolution, focusing on the psychological toll of a dual life.
The film is positioning itself as the "grown-up" movie of the season. No capes. No multiverses. Just two guys with the same face trying to kill each other for the right to run New York. It’s a bold move, and honestly, it’s exactly what the box office needs right now. If the movie is half as tense as the Alto Knights trailer makes it look, we’re in for a classic.