Nicolas Cage making film about Amarillo Slim
A film about the life of gambling legend *Amarillo Slim* is in development and some of it will be shot in Texas, the project’s producer said. Slim has led a picaresque life and is a true American original, and the breadth of his experiences requires a fair amount of research. Braxton Pope said of the life of Thomas Preston Jr., also known as Amarillo Slim. Slim will have a lot of input but he also understands that filmmakers are in the business of crafting stories and that this isn’t a documentary. No start date for the filming of “Amarillo Slim” the movie has been set. Nicolas Cage was expected to play the legendary gambler, Pope said. Cage’s company, Saturn Films, and Pope will produce the movie, he said. After meeting with Cage at the actor’s home in Los Angeles, Preston, 78, was convinced he was a good fit. 
“We hit it off good. … We’ve become buddies,” Preston said. A strike by the Writers Guild of American will delay the project’s writing some but research can continue, Pope said. Preston, who won the World Series of Poker in 1972, has a home in Amarillo. He hosts poker tournaments in Australia and South Africa every year and is invited to play in numerous events worldwide.