FBI Dramas

Michigan Gets "DEA" And Mantegna’s "Fifth Mafia"?

by Alexandra on May 2nd, 2008

If you live in Michigan, you not only have the distinction of having Spike TV’s DEA filmed there. You also have a new mafia crime drama called The Fifth Mafia tapped to begin production in May, according to Detroit Free Press. Prime filming locations are West Michigan, in and around Grand Rapids.

FBI crime drama star Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds) was set to portray a lead role, but conflicts in scheduling have taken their toll, so it’s unknown if he’ll be a part of this project. Eric Balfour (pictured above), Armand Assante, James Liotta and James Van Der Beek (pictured above) are set as cast.

Directed by Vito J. Giambalvo, this film is about revenge, and follows the son (Balfour) of a murdered Mafioso. The son goes after his villainous uncle (Assante) to get revenge for the murder of his parents. He somehow manages to get involved with the FBI after bad dealings with one of its agents (Van Der Beek).

As an aside, I’ve seen this project referred to as an Indie movie at Hollywood Reporter, and later referred to as a TV movie in a different article, so it’s a bit unclear. Also, production was to begin in March 2008, but has been pushed back to begin in May.

Of note, it seems Michigan has more than a few TV series filmed there: DEA, The First 48 Hours, and Animal Cops in Detroit.

Via freep.com, and Hollywood Reporter; Images via Newscom

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POSTED IN: Actors, Criminal Minds, DEA, FBI Drama Programs, General Crime Drama, Joe Mantegna