Al Pacino to play former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in HBO movie

Al Pacino, who has played such real-life figures as Jack Kevorkian and Phil Spector, will add another famous name to his list of characterizations.

The Oscar winner has been tapped to play former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno in an HBO movie to be directed by Barry Levinson (“Rain Man”).

The movie will center on Paterno, the winningest coach in college football history, and the effects on his life and career after he became embroiled in the 2011 sexual abuse scandal involving his assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

Paterno died in January 2012, two months after being fired by Penn State.