CITY OF MAN: JOSH HARTNETT PLANNING MAFIA FILM ?

Josh Hartnett may have lined up his anticipated next project with the starring role in mafia drama City of Man, according to CineEuropa.

The film, helmed by Italian director Renato De Maria from a script penned by Philip Di Fiore and Lorenzo Costello, is inspired by true events and weaves a narrative about an American who inherits land in Italy and must fight the Calabrian mafia who want it for themselves.

Josh Hartnett would play a war-torn photojournalist from New York who inherits an orange grove in Italy with a petroleum cache beneath it that the ‘ndrangheta' want for themselves.

Riccardo Scamarcio is also reported to have signed on. The movie will mark the third collaboration for the Italian star and director De Maria, who has previously guided Scamarcio through La Prima Linea and the TV series Il secreto dell'acqua.

William Medici from Dolce Inc. is teaming up with producers Rene Bastian from Belladonna and Nicola De Angelis from De Angelis Group to finance the mafia thriller. Dolce Inc. has positioned itself as the premier source of entertainment for those who love all things Italian. Utilizing today's technology, the company seeks to blend the best attributes of cable television, online video websites, social networking platforms as well as theatrical and home DVD distribution mechanisms into one integrated media network. From feature films, documentaries, music, television series and specials to user-generated video, social networking and multi-media properties, Dolce's goal is to be the most comprehensive media network for Italian, Italian-American and Italophile content.

City of Man is currently in development and is scheduled to begin shooting in October 2011.