Where was The Alto Knights shot? Filming details of Robert De Niro's crime drama, revealed

The Alto Knights is a biographical crime drama that casts Robert De Niro in a double role as Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, New York City mob bosses of the 1950s. The film is helmed by Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson and written by Nicholas Pileggi, while the cast also features Debra Messing, Cosmo Jarvis, Michael Rispoli, and Kathrine Narducci. The Alto Knights was released on March 21, 2025, by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The plot revolves around the rift between Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, and the escalation of tension between them. Here's the official synopsis, per IMDb:

Two of New York City's most notorious organized crime bosses vie for control of the city's streets. Once best friends, petty jealousies and a series of betrayals set them on a deadly collision course.

The film has been shot across interesting locations, to capture the feel of the era it is set in. Read on to know about the film's outdoor shooting locations.

Where was The Alto Knights filmed? Details explored

The shooting of The Alto Knights began in Ohio in December 2022. Several scenes were shot in Greene County as the makers wanted to re-create the 1950s feel. For the filming, the US 35 highway and SR 123 (the latter is in Cincinnati) were shut down.

Several scenes of the street were shot in Eden Park as well as Laurel Court Inc. The area has several vintage properties, so the makers opted to shoot here to create a period milieu for the crime film.

More about The Alto Knights

Earlier titled Alto Knights, the film was eventually changed the name The Alto Knights in January 2025. The film revolves around Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, two Italian-American mob bosses at loggerheads in New York City. Charles Winkler, Irwin Winkler, David Winkler, Jason Sosnoff, and Barry Levinson have produced the film under the banners Winkler Films and Domain Entertainment.

While Robert De Niro plays the dual role of Genovese and Costello, other cast members of the film include:

Debra Messing as Bobbie Costello
Cosmo Jarvis as Vincent Gigante
Michael Rispoli as Albert Anastasia
Kathrine Narducci as Anna Genovese
Ed Amatrudo as Rudolph Halley
James Ciccone as Carlo Gambino
Wallace Langham as Estes Kefauver
Louis Mustillo as Joseph Bonanno
Matt Servitto as George Wolf
Anthony J. Gallo

Talks to produce the film were on since the 1970s and the project was considered by several studios over the decades, until Warner Bros. Pictures started working on it. In an interview with Esquire, Levinson spoke about De Niro playing two characters in the film. He said:

"It was Irwin [Winkler’s idea]. When we finally got a draft of the script that we liked, he said, 'What do you think about Bob playing both characters?' We thought about it, and then you go, well, we’re talking about one of the great actors in the history of cinema here, let's see how he reacts to the challenge. Bob immediately thought it would be interesting, and said, 'let me see what I can do.'"

In the same interview, the 80-year-old director was asked about his experience of helming The Alto Knights at this age. He stated that he doesn't think about his age:

"I try not to think about that. I have to say this: I have been fortunate in that I've been able to kind of do these things and truly enjoy the process. I just love working with actors, working on the scripts, on the design of it. It's so engaging to me. Boy, did I get lucky that I ended up getting into this world. I am as enthusiastic now as I was the first time I ever got a chance to write or direct, or to do both."