British actor Bob Hoskins, 59, will play the «Good Pope» in a TV film directed by Ricky Tognazzi and written by several authors, including Marco Roncalli, one of the Pontiff´s relatives.
Filming will begin in November. The producer is Mediaset, whose principal shareholder is Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi´s family.
The Italian public network RAI, Berlusconi´s immediate competitor, will also produce a TV film on John XXIII. In this film, directed by Dominique Othenin-Girard, the Pope will be played by American actor Ed Asner, 72. Filming will begin by year-end.