Friday, June 27, 2014

Kevin Bacon Bosses Joel Edgerton Around In "Black Mass"

Kevin Bacon has joined the crime biopic "Black Mass" says Boston Globe.


The story follows South Boston criminal James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp) who was betrayed by the FBI after he became an informant to bring down a rival crime family. Bulger was captured in June 2011 in Santa Monica following a 16-year manhunt.

Tom Hardy was in talks to co-star as FBI handler John Connolly who was also a childhood friend of Bulger. In the 1970s, the pair joined forces with Bulger turning in his rivals to consolidate his power while Connolly scored the professional benefits of being the man who helped dismantle the mob. Eventually, Connolly was convicted of racketeering, obstruction of justice, and second-degree murder. Australian actor Joel Edgerton was attached to play Connolly at first. Now, Hardy isn't involved and Edgerton has come back to the role.

Bacon will play FBI special agent Charles McGuire who is in charge of the Boston field office and Connelly's boss.

Guy Pearce will play Connolly's brother and former President of the Massachusetts State Senate who also aided Bulger in his plan to systematically wipe out his competition. Fifty Shades of Grey star Dakota Johnson will play Lindsey, his girlfriend and the mother of his 6-year-old son Douglas, who dies tragically. Juno Temple will play Deborah Hussey--a prostitute and the stepdaughter of Whitey's lieutenant Flemmi. Jesse Plemons will play Kevin Weeks, a blue-collar man who is part of the inner circle. Benedict Cumberbatch as Massachusetts state senator and Whitey's brother Billy Bulger, while Adam Scott is playing FBI agent Robert Fitzpatrick.

The film is based on the book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill.Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth. worked on  the adapted the screenplay, before Russell Gewirtz took over. Cooper is said to be working on a rewrite of the script

Brian Oliver, Tyler Thompson, Nigel Sinclair, Tobin Armbrust, John Lesher and Christi Dembrowski will produce the pic.

 The movie is currently being shot on location in Boston.

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