Al Pacino Is A Legendary Penn State Coach In HBO's Paterno Teaser

Joe Paterno has the kind of name you could easily chant to celebrate his successes, or scream in protest to denounce his atrocities. HBO capitalizes on this fact in the first teaser trailer for Paterno, the upcoming made-for-TV movie that explores the fall from grace ex-Pennsylvania State University football coach Paterno experience in 2011, when his assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with sexual assault, child molestation, and rape. 

Al Pacino steps into Paterno's proverbial cleats for the starring role, and the first footage of the veteran actor as the late (and formerly great) coach is quite chilling. The teaser features Penn State fans repeating Paterno's name as disturbing scenes flash across screen. We see Sandusky get crammed into a police cruiser, media and reporters swirl around the Penn State campus, and Sandusky step into an elevator with a young boy, his arm around the child's shoulder. Shots of actress Riley Keough as journalist Sara Ganim are also shown, as well as Jock McKissic as a man named Tyler, who's seen shedding a tear at what's presumed to be Paterno's official press conference. 

The final moments of the clip break the monotony of the incantation. "Did you know about Jerry?" a voice off screen asks as Pacino's Paterno shifts his eyes from side to side, then looks straight down the lens of the camera. 

Take a look in the video above.

Directed by Barry Levinson (Rain Man), Paterno features a script from Debora Cahn (Vinyl, Grey's Anatomy), John C. Richards (Sahara), and David McKenna (S.W.A.T., Get Carter). The pic follows the winningest coach in college football history as his legacy is challenged and his morals are questioned after it's revealed he knew of Sandusky's heinous crimes but chose to remain silent. 

HBO will release Paterno this spring, though an exact debut date has yet to be announced.