Johnny Depp Joins Michael Mann For “Public Enemies”

Variety is reporting that Johnny Depp has agreed to make “Public Enemies” with director Michael Mann and Universal Pictures. The two reportedly agreed to the deal with a handshake and set in motion a project set to begin filming in Chicago on March 10, 2008.

Depp will play John Dillinger in this drama set during the crime wave of 1933-34 when the government’s attempts to stop Depression era criminal legends such as Dillilnger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd transformed J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI into the country’s first federal police force. Mann authored the script, based on the 2004 novel by Bryan Burrough.

“Public Enemies” was only one of several projects Mann had been considering (including a reteaming with “Collateral” star Tom Cruise on a film called “Edwin A. Salt”) until recent events pushed it to the forefront. Depp’s film, “Shantaram” was postponed by Warner Bros. due to script, cost, and locations concerns (they would have been shooting in India during monsoon season) and he apparently expressed no interest in stepping in Brad Pitt’s vacated role in “State Of Play” (later filled by Russell Crowe). With both parties available, the project got put on the front burners about six weeks ago and has now become a reality.