EXCLUSIVE: Just as Whitey Bulger rose to the top of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List when he disappeared for a decade before he could be put behind bars, the fast mobilizing movie about the Boston crime kingpin just rose to the top of the most wanted list in the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin. That’s because Johnny Deep has become attached to star in the Cross Creek crime thriller Black Mass, with Barry Levinson directing him. The picture is a co-production between Cross Creek and Nigel Sinclair and Guy East’s Exclusive Media, with the two entities co-financing. Universal Pictures is aboard to release the film in the U.S. through Cross Creek’s distribution deal with the studio, and production is to begin in May.
The film will be produced by Cross Creek’s Brian Oliver and Tyler Thompson, John Lesher, and Christi Dembrowski, Depp’s partner in Infinitum Nihil. Exclusive Media’s Tobin Armbrust, President Worldwide Production and Acquisitions and Cross Creek Pictures Sr. VP of Production Adam Kassan, will oversee production. Alex Walton, Exclusive Media’s President of International Sales and Distribution, will introduce Black Mass to overseas buyers at the upcoming European Film Market in Berlin.
The title of the film comes from the 2001 Dick Lehr/Gerald O’Neill New York Times bestseller Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob. The script was written by Mark Mallouk, and the long-gestating movie got the third act it needed when Bulger was captured in California in summer 2011, after he spent a decade on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list.
Bulger was a notoriously ruthless Boston mob kingpin who was the basis for characters like the one that Jack Nicholson played in the Martin Scorsese-directed The Departed and Pete Postlethwaite played in the Ben Affleck-directed The Town (Affleck has his own Whitey Bulger project scripted by Boardwalk Empire creator Terrence Winter with Matt Damon expected to play the mobster, but he’ll next direct Dennis Lehane’s Live By Night so there’s no way that film will beat this one into production). Even as he was masterminding a violent gang–the federal case against him alleges 19 murders–Bulger was an FBI informant, a role he took on discreetly to take down a rival gang, but the tables were turned on him. After the Feds closed in on their targets, they double crossed Bulger and ultimately prosecuted him, along with his partner in crime and the original FBI agent working with him.
“I could not be more thrilled to have the biggest star in the world and Academy Award winning director Barry Levinson to finally bring this incredible story to the big screen,” said Cross Creek’s Oliver. “We have been working on this project since we originally optioned the book in 2005. Black Mass expertly details the twists and turns of this highly complex story, painting a vivid portrait of Boston’s underbelly and its corrupt political machine, as well as exposing the worst scandal in FBI history. It’s also an examination of loyalty to family, Irish heritage, and South Boston.”
Said Exclusive Media’s Sinclair and East: “We are thrilled by the opportunity to bring Mark Mallouk’s terrific screenplay to the screen with perhaps this generation’s biggest and best actor and a director who’s work makes him one of America’s iconic filmmakers. Occasionally a film project comes along that is truly exceptional – from the terrific subject matter to the chance to collaborate again with our long time friends and partners at Cross Creek, and to have the opportunity work with the unique and inimitable Johnny Depp. We are truly delighted to be involved in Black Mass.”
Depp and Levinson previously worked together when the latter produced the Mike Newell-directed Donnie Brasco, considered a mob classic. Levinson has separately been attached to a film about John Gotti Jr and his notorious crime family, but that picture has been on shaky financial footing for a long time and who knows if or when it will happen.
Cross Creek and Exclusive Media jointly co-produced George Clooney’s The Ides Of March with Smokehouse Pictures, the Daniel Radcliffe-starrer The Woman In Black, and the upcoming Ron Howard-directed Rush with Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl, the latter of which is being produced with Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment, Working Title, and Revolution Films. Universal will release that Formula One film in the U.S. this year. The companies are co-producing and co-financing A Walk Among The Tombstones, with Liam Neeson starring.
The deal was negotiated by UTA’s Tracey Jacobs, Jake Bloom and Micheal Schenkman for Depp and UTA’s Jeremy Zimmer and Barry Hirsch for Levinson as well as Eric Greenfeld on behalf of Cross Creek and Exclusive Media.
Horrible idea.
Wahttttt? Barry Levison? What is Depp thinking? Levinson has made 5 or 6 massive bombs in a row – not just bombs but bad bad films. Payday movie? Depp? Doesn’t add up.
This is going to be a cool project. Fascinating character and wow what a package of talent. Can’t wait to hear Depp with Boston accent.
Depp getting back to some work with substance. Me likey.
Likey, too.
Wasn’t Matt Damon and Ben Affleck working on their own Bulger project?
Yes, they are. I’ll wait for that one. While I have no problem with Levinson (he’s capable of great things and is need of a break), I cannot see Depp as Bulger.
“I cannot see Depp as Bulger.”
Neither can I, but I see no reason to believe that either Ben Affleck or Matt Damon would be any better.
More to the point, Whitey Bulger is a nasty, dangerous piece of work who should not be glorified, romanticized, or regarded as a hero.
I would love to be in Berlin for this or see an early preview, its definitely one of those “I want to see it now projects!” In all this time Bulger’s story has been consistent and the Federal judge that worked out the terms of the supposed deal is dead. I would love to know more than we’re hearing from the mainstream media!
Is is going to bomb big time!
Yawn yawn yawn. The only way Depp’s stock is going to go up in the next ten years is with scarcity of product.
Affleck/Damon/Winter or Levinson/Depp in a Boston mob movie? Love you, Johnny, but you need to STEP OFF!
Johnny Depp is a costume actor but is he a great actor? I think not. The only successful movies he has ever done have been “costume” movies, the others, not so much. He needs the props because he is not a great actor. I don’t think he will be able to pull off this part
which will require depth.
Barry Levinson shares the same agent..enough said.
Have you seen any of Johnny’s non “costume” movies? May I suggest that you watch the one mentioned in the article, “Donnie Brasco”. Amazing. He is an incredible actor.
you clearly have only seen his “costume” movies and therefore are not authority on his acting talents.He was incredible in Donnie Brasco and Public Enemies,not to mention other “non-costume” roles.
Donnie Brasco was made 17 years ago and Public Enemies was a fail..
Also check again as to who signed/reps Levinson at UTA.
What happened to script for Damon? Love how Hollywood gets hot under the collar for the mob. Competing projects? Maybe?
I love the idea of DEPP and LEVINSON. Happy that Johnny isn’t doing another dumb pirate movie. I hear Lone Ranger has Disney freaked out. And it’s about time Levinson came to the screen with something and someone worthy of his talents.
Sorry to break the news, but Depp is doing another Pirates. How else do you think Disney and Bruckheimer can get back the money they will lose on The Lone Ranger?
In fact, I would bet The Lone Ranger was finally green lighted and funded contingent on an agreement to do another Pirates.
More interested in his ‘Transcendence’ role, but until that’s ready for filming this sounds like an interesting project.
I’ve seen too many actors pull of a role I wouldn’t expect them to succeed at to be critical here. Still: Depp…as Bulger?
More Depp, less Disney!
This will fall apart…there’s a few scripts out there and this is the oldest most dated one out of touch one. A desperate attempt for a money grab. No studio wants to get behind Whitey as this macho mythical gangster because his trial will prove otherwise.
not AT ALL a good casting. i don’t understand.
I like Depp much better pre Disney!
Yay JD, it’s about time!!
Wondering if some of the commenters actually read the story. Several questions asked, were answered, and several statements are wrong. The Affleck version is explained. Also, Johnny Depp and Levinson do not have the same agent. They are both at the same agency (UTA) but they have different agents. Sounds like a really interesting project and think it has great potential. Looking forward to hear the rest of the casting.
Haven’t we run out of MOB movies; i.e. Gangster Squad tanked. This better be Oscar-worthy!
Johnny Depp was great in Blow and Donnie Brasco. He can definitely do this. I am glad to see him getting back to realism. If you know his body of work, you know that he has not always been a broad comic actor. He can be very subtle and he has incredible range.
I just can’t buy Johnny Depp doing anything anymore. He is affected now. Does the same mannerism in all his movies outside the costumes. I don’t know if he can change. I’m scared that the same thing is happening to Robert Downey Jr too. Iron Man/Holmes.. same characters. Shame. There are a few actors in that age range that are mixing it up and actually doing some different things.
Note to all publicists: stop saying “thrilled”!
MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!
I too have heard that Lone Ranger is DOA. And it looks ridiculous. Armie Hammer? PLEASE! The best thing about this is it’s a gangster movie, a true story, and Levinson is in. Though I heard he may jump to Gotti which has come together with Travolta, James Franco and Charleze.
Should be an interesting development. Go Randi.
Tracey Jacobs has been phoning it in for years. One pirates movie after another. This is the first smart move he’s made, and I wouldn’t give her the credit.