Handling the Pressure

When director Luis Mandoki (“White Palace”) dropped out of the Steve Roth/Universal production of “Mobsters” a few weeks ago, Michael Karbelnikoff got the break he’s been working toward for 15 years.

The veteran director of TV spots for Levi’s 501 jeans, Bud Light and other products was picked to step in, and now faces the pressure of directing a name cast--and his first feature.

Sources tell us that Christian Slater will play gangster Lucky Luciano in the big-budget production, due to start shooting next month, with Patrick Dempsey as Meyer Lansky, Richard Grieco as Bugsy Siegel and a female love interest yet to be cast (sources say Emily Lloyd and Uma Thurman are among top contenders).

“It’s more overwhelming than normal because I came into it late,” says Karbelnikoff, referring to his three-week pre-production time, “but I have a great support system around me.”

Karbelnikoff’s feature-film directing experience is limited to an uncompleted one-hour project that he financed himself, but he still expresses confidence.

“If I don’t take this moment, and make it the best thing that ever happened in my life, then I’m a fool,” he says. “Getting scared and all that is not what I’ve been in film 15 years to do.”