It’s official: ‘women of the mafia’ is the theme du jour for film and TV offerings right now. Hot on the heels of The Good Mothers (a new Disney+ true crime drama about three women who brought down the Calabrian ’Ndrangheta mafia from within) comes the first trailer for Toni Collette’s Mafia Mamma. Which…

Well, yes, it has admittedly very different vibes to The Good Mothers – but we still desperately want to watch it. Obviously. It’s Toni Collette.

And so on that note…

What’s Mafia Mamma about?

The premise for this one is simple enough: while seeing to her long-estranged (and now deceased) grandfather’s affairs in Italy, a mild-mannered suburban mum unexpectedly inherits his mafia empire and finds herself stuck in the middle of a deadly mob war. 

Will she let herself be cowed into submission, though? Hell no! She’s already dealt with empty nest syndrome and a cheating husband, so she can sure as hell cope with a little gangland battle.

And so, guided by the firm’s trusted consigliere, she defies everyone’s expectations (including her own) as the new head of the family business.

Watch the trailer for Mafia Mamma below:

Yes, she brings muffins to mob showdowns. Of course she does. Mobsters sometimes need a little treat, too, don’t you know.

Who stars in Mafia Mamma?

Toni Collette takes the lead as Kristin in this darkly hilarious romp of a film, while Monica Bellucci takes on the role of Bianca, her right-hand woman.

Giulio Corso, Francesco Mastroianni, Alfonso Perugini, Sophia Nomvete, Eduardo Scarpetta, Tim Daish and Tommy Rodger also star.

Who is behind the scenes on Mafia Mamma?

Catherine Hardwicke – perhaps best known for her work directing Twilight, Thirteen and an episode of Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet Of Curiosities – is helming this project.

“I think now, as women, we want to see somebody that takes charge of their life and does the very best they can in their power to escape, fight back, fight the system, fight all the men that are staring at her, the male gaze all the time that are putting their hands on her neck and forcing her to do things,” Hardwicke told Indie Wire back in 2019.

“I hope we get to keep making more movies with strong female characters. And that’s a key word: complex female characters that are going through a lot of things in their life, and have a rich life.

“I’m happy to fit in that category of people that are making that kind of movie, and really we just want to keep doing it.”

When can we watch Mafia Mamma?

Mafia Mamma will be released on 14 April in the US, although Bleecker Street (the production studio behind the film) has yet to confirm when it will hit UK cinemas. A spring release date, however, looks likely.

We promise that we will bring you more details as soon as they become available.

Images: Getty