miniseries

Robert De Niro Will Replace James Gandolfini in HBO’s Criminal Justice

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 23: Robert De Niro attends the 'We Will Rock You' North America Tour Rehearsals at The New 42nd Street Studios on September 23, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Walter McBride/Getty Images)
Photo: Walter McBride/2013 Walter McBride

HBO’s Criminal Justice miniseries is moving forward after all. Last year, HBO announced that it was reteaming with James Gandolfini for a drama series; then in February, it looked like HBO was passing on the show. In May, HBO surprised everyone and green-lighted Justice as a miniseries, but after Gandolfini died in June, the show seemed completely off the table. But now comes word that Robert De Niro is taking over what would have been Gandolfini’s role as a jailhouse lawyer representing a young cab driver wrongly accused of murder. According to Deadline, De Niro has stepped in, and production is set to begin in March. Justice is based on the British series of the same name that starred Ben Wishaw (Cloud Atlas, The Hour) as the wrongly accused man. The British original is superb, but it’s also cripplingly depressing — ruin-your-weekened, make-you-call-your-mom, can’t-stop-crying depressing. Something to look forward to!

Robert De Niro Will Replace James Gandolfini