Gravitas Ventures has set a release date for Shia LaBeouf-led drama Padre Pio for this summer, Deadline has reported. The movie based on real-life saint Francesco Forgione is helmed by filmmaker Abel Ferrara from a script he co-wrote with Maurizio Braucci, and premiered last year's Venice Film Festival to mixed reviews.
Set at the end of World War I the movie follows young Italian soldiers making their way back to San Giovanni Rotondo which is considered a land of poverty, historic violence, and the ironclad rule of the church. Padre Pio (Labeouf) also arrives in the city at a remote Capuchin monastery and begins his ministry evoking an aura of compelling charisma, saintliness, and storied visions of Jesus, Mary, and the Devil himself. On the eve of the first free election in Italy the sets the stage for “a historic, and metaphoric massacre — an apocalyptic event that changes the course of the world.”
What to Expect from Padre Pio?
“Padre Pio is a film about the spiritual journey of the great saint in parallel with that of Shia Labeouf who portrays him,” director Ferrara said in an official statement. The audience is well-versed in LaBeouf’s problematic past behavior. The actor has a number of abuse allegations, misdemeanor charges, and complaints of aggressive behavior with cast mates. The actor was supposed to be a part of Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling but was replaced with Harry Styles, due to similar issues and the controversy blew up right before the movie’s release. With Ferrara’s comments, it’ll be interesting to see LaBeouf in this new character, who in past has gotten into rehab and therapy after apologizing to people he had hurt.
Gravitas Ventures’ Senior Director of Theatrical Distribution, Cameron Moore said of the movie, “Padre Pio will become a much discussed religious biopic for the unforeseeable future. Shia LaBeouf gives a show-stopping performance with superb direction from acclaimed director Abel Ferrara. We are excited to bring the film to viewers all across North America.” As LaBeouf gets back to the big screen after 2020's Pieces of a Woman how the audience responds to the movie is yet to be seen.
LaBeouf is accompanied by Cristina Chiriac, Marco Leonardi, Asia Argento, Vincenzo Crea, Luca Lionello, Brando Pacitto, Stella Mastrantonio, and Salvatore Ruocco in the upcoming movie. The feature is produced by Diana Phillips, Philipp Kreuzer, and Maurizio Antonini while Hammerstone’s Alex Lebovici, Keanu Mayo, and Kyle Stroud served as its exec producers.
Padre Pio will hit the theaters on June 2. You can check out why Wilde fired LaBeouf from her feature below: