Kevin Spacey is set to make an appearance as a character named “The Devil” in Italian Director Massimo Paolucci’s psychological thriller “The Contract.”
The movie just wrapped its principal photography in Rome, and this will be the first feature for Spacey.
The English-language film, described in a statement as having a similar storyline as Alan Parker’s “Angel Heart” and Taylor Hackford’s “The Devil’s Advocate,” also stars Eric Roberts and Vincent Spano, Italian production company TM Entertainment said.
Spacey arrived in Rome last December for shooting, but reps have not made any comment about the new role.
The “House of Cards” star had a big shock to many when sexual misconduct allegations came out in 2017. The actor has been since found not liable in an October 2022 brought by “Star Trek: Discovery” actor Anthony Rapp.
Spacey was found not guilty in a U.K. sexual assault trial in July 2023.
The actor will also be back on the U.S. screens with the indie thriller “Peter Five Eight,” also starring Rebecca de Mornay, which goes on limited U.S. release March 22. The film marks Spacey’s first leading role since being cleared in the London trial.
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In “The Contract,” Spacey plays a character named “The Devil,” which according to the statement is somewhat akin to Al Pacino’s role in “Devil’s Advocate” as satan who takes the guise of a human lawyer, and that of Robert De Niro in “Angel Heart,” a satanic businessman who hires a seedy gumshoe detective to descend into hell. Producers Massimiliano Caroletti and Sandro Lazzarini said they “courted” Spacey for eight months to convince him to play the role.
“The Contract” director Paolucci’s previous works include action film “All in One Day,” which plays on Prime Video in Italy; horror-crime movie “Medium”; and slasher/horror “Photoshock.” Paolucci also served as a line producer on Dario Argento’s much maligned flop “Dracula 3D.”
Spacey has been back in acting since 2017 with roles like a police detective in the Italian indie drama “The Man Who Drew God” directed by Franco Nero.
He also had a voiceover role in Gene Fallaize’s indie thriller “Control.”
