Gary Oldman, Malin Akerman and Milo Ventimiglia will star in indie gangster project “Criminal Empire for Dummys,” set to shoot starting in late March in New Orleans.

Michael Clarke Duncan and Harvey Keitel are also attached. Cliff Dorfman, who’s credits include the upcoming “Warrior” for Lionsgate and “Entourage,” is making his feature directorial debut and helming from his own script.

Story centers on a charismatic young man — portrayed by Ventimiglia — who relates the do’s and don’ts of running a criminal empire through a flashback to his own rise from a tragic childhood and life in the ghetto to eventual position as a multinational drug and criminal kingpin.

Producers are Michael Roban of Cold Fusion Media, Dave Brown of Sleeping Giant Entertainment, Greg Hadjarowicz of Gremi Prods. and Paul Schiff of Paul Schiff Prods. Oldman’s manager Doug Urbanski is exec producing.

Production companies include Cold Fusion, Sleeping Giant, Gremi Productions and Hollywood Studios International, which is financing the $9 million project which includes Louisiana tax credit financing.

Oldman was most recently seen in “The Book of Eli” while Akerman’s recent credits include “Watchmen and “Couples Retreat.”

From Variety