First Look at the Joe Paterno Film Starring Al Pacino

July 17, 2017

HBO Films has revealed the first-look photo from the untitled Joe Paterno film (previously known as “Happy Valley”), with Academy Award-winning acting legend Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman, The Godfather, Scarface) as Paterno. Check out the photo from the film, which is currently in production, in the gallery below.

Directed by Oscar winner Barry Levinson (Rain Man, The Wizard of Lies), the film centers on Joe Paterno (Pacino), who, after becoming the winningest coach in college football history, is embroiled in Penn State’s Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal, challenging his legacy and forcing him to face questions of institutional failure regarding the victims.

The film co-stars Annie Parisse (Vinyl), Riley Keough (It Comes at Night), Kathy Baker (Street Smart) and Greg Grunberg (Star Wars: The Force Awakens).

Executive produced by Barry Levinson, Jason Sosnoff, Tom Fontana, Edward R. Pressman, Rick Nicita and Lindsay Sloane, the untitled Joe Paterno film is produced by Amy Herman in association with Sony Pictures Television. The film was written by Debora Cahn and John C. Richards and David McKenna.

Levinson and Pacino previously collaborated on HBO’s 2010 Jack Kevorkian biopic You Don’t Know Jack and 2014’s The Humbling. Levinson also co-wrote Pacino’s 1979 hit …and justice for all.