Veteran producer Edward R. Pressman is no stranger to tragic scandal. He was the producer of “The Crowe,” and I recall him getting pretty choked up when we talked about the confluence of events that led to Brandon Lee’s accidental death on that Wilmington, N.C. set.

Now he’s producing a movie about the Penn State scandal. Set in “Happy Valley,” that’s going to be the title. And they’ve landed Oscar winner Al Pacino as the combative, diminutive Italian-American coach Joe Paterno, a hero for decades, Emperor of the University, untouchable. And when he got old and took his eyes off the ball, an assistant brought his whole world crashing down.

Pacino’s track record in recent years has been spotty. So has that of his director, “Dressed to Kill” maestro Brian DePalma. But that’s some major talent to throw at a true story that rocked the sports world, and the nation.