Update on the dueling Richard ‘The Ice Man’ Kuklinski projects featuring Mickey Rourke and Michael Shannon

Last we touched on the dueling Richard Kuklinski projects – films about the infamous Gambino hitman who murdered hundreds – we learned that filmmaker Ariel Vromen’s take, THE ICEMAN, based on the Anthony Bruno book The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer, had landed three extremely strong actors in Michael Shannon, Benicio del Toro, and James Franco. It wasn’t known then, however, who exactly would be playing Kuklinski… until now.

Deadline is reporting with information out of the American Film Market that Michael Shannon (“Boardwalk Empire”, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD) would in fact be portraying the notorious killer. A rock-solid choice if you ask me.

And in what seems like an attempt to further one-up the rival film, THE ICE MAN, which stars Mickey Rourke and is based on Philip Carlo’s book The Ice Man: Confessions of a Mafia Contract Killer, Nu Image has released what looks like a mock-up one sheet for Vromen’s film (which you can check out below).

But what of the Mickey Rourke ICE MAN? That film is reportedly going into production next Spring – at least a few months ahead of the Michael Shannon pic – despite not even having a director secured. What it has secured, though, are the life rights of Kuklinski’s wife, Barbara, and Pat Kane, the cop who brought Kuklinski to justice. While having these rights might make it easier for the Rourke film, Deadline’s Mike Fleming points out that they’re not essential in making a film about a subject who’s dead.

So, what does it all mean? It may pretty much break down to which film can get done and out there the fastest. Which sounds more enticing to you, though?