Antoine Fuqua is set to direct a new FX series chronicling the life of Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano, one of the most notorious figures in organized crime. Terence Winter, known for The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire, is attached to write and executive produce the project, which is being described as an epic crime drama exploring Gravano’s rise in the Gambino crime family and his eventual turn as a government witness.
The series will delve into Gravano’s life, from his ascent in the Mafia to becoming the underboss of the Gambino family under John Gotti. Gravano, who played a key role in the murder of boss Paul Castellano, made history in 1991 when he became one of the highest-ranking Mafia members to cooperate with the federal government, helping secure convictions against Gotti and others.
The project, currently in development at FX, brings together a powerhouse creative team. Alongside Winter and Fuqua, executive producers include Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas, Casino), Aaron Kaplan of Kapital Entertainment, Billy Malone, J.J. Sacha, Scott Greenberg, and Rick Yorn. FX Productions will produce in collaboration with Kapital Entertainment, with Kevin Marco overseeing on behalf of Kapital.
Gravano’s life has previously been chronicled in Peter Maas’ book Underboss and the 1998 TV movie Witness to the Mob, where Nicholas Turturro portrayed him. Gravano remains a public figure, sharing stories of his criminal past on his YouTube channel.
Winter’s experience with mob dramas is extensive, having earned two Emmy Awards for his work on The Sopranos and created the critically acclaimed Boardwalk Empire. He also served as showrunner on Paramount+’s Tulsa King before departing to focus on this new project.
Fuqua, a celebrated director, is known for films such as Training Day, The Magnificent Seven, and The Equalizer trilogy. He is currently working on the Michael Jackson biopic Michael, starring Jaafar Jackson.
With this new series, FX continues its legacy of delivering high-quality, character-driven dramas, promising a gripping look at the inner workings of organized crime through the lens of one of its most infamous figures.