Johnny Depp Is Whitey Bulger In First ‘Black Mass’ Trailer

I can’t believe I’m about to write these words, but it looks like Johnny Depp may be making good movies once more.

Yes, you read that right. After years of delivering subpar performances in whatever movie Tim Burton needed him to appear in (as long as it didn’t interfere with Pirates Of The Caribbean), Johnny Depp is back to making the kind of gritty, reality-based dramas that showcase actual talent rather than highlighting the awesome power of CGI. His comeback effort, Black Mass, finds him taking on the role of real life gangster Whitey Bulger, otherwise known as the most notorious American criminal of the last fifty years. The film’s first trailer arrived late last week, and it is quick to showcase the still undeniable appeal of Depp when he’s in the right role. Check it out:

Black Mass is based on a book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill titled Black Mass: Whitey Bulger, the FBI, and a Devil’s Deal. It’s a nonfiction account of Bulger’s time as the top criminal in Boston, as well as his dealings with the FBI, and the reason he was able to avoid arrest for so many years. A copy of this book sits on my shelf right now, and I cannot recommend enough that each of you read it before the movie comes out this September.

As for the trailer, I’m in. The editing does a fine job of introducing Bulger’s deceptive personality while also teasing the violence, heartache, and chaos that will no doubt take place throughout the story. You also see a lot of the cast, which includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Corey Stroll, Joel Edgerton, Dakota Johnson, Sienna Miller, Jesse Plemons, and Kevin Bacon. Time will tell if anyone delivers a performance worthy of awards season, but there is certainly a lot of potential for greatness on display in this first look.

Black Mass opens September 18.

James Shotwell
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