John Travolta `to play John Gotti with family`s blessing`

Travolta, 56, was pictured at a dinner meeting with Gotti's son John 'Junior' Gotti who said he was 'totally confident' Travolta could play his father in the upcoming biopic.

'He's a tremendous actor and he'll feel the part,' Gotti said as he left the meeting.

The pair was spotted out together in Brentwood, Los Angeles, where they ate at Italian restaurant Amici's.

Gotti told cameras he had seen all of Travolta's films and was sure he could take on the role of his father.

'He nails every single one and he can do this too, I'm totally confident,' he said.

The film, titled Gotti, will tell the tale of three generations of the New York City crime family.

John Gotti, who died in 2002, was the boss of the Gambino crime family after the murder of the previous boss, Paul Castellano.

Actor James Franco is also reportedly in talks to do the film playing the role of Junior Gotti who authorities believe took over as the head of the family during his father's incarceration.