First Photos Surface Of Johnny Depp As Whitey Bulger
BOSTON (CBS) - The first photographs of actor Johnny Depp as mobster Whitey Bulger have surfaced.
The photos first published on a Russian fan site, have been taken down but not before they were captured on writer Megan Johnson's Tumblr site.
Depp has begun filming crime thriller "Black Mass," with Scott Cooper directing him. According to the movie's IMBD page, Joel Edgerton, who previously appeared in "The Great Gatsby" will play FBI agent John Connolly, Jesse Plemons of television series"Friday Night Lights" will portray Kevin Weeks and Dakota Johnson, slated to also star in 50 Shades of Grey, will play Bulger's former girlfriend Lindsey Cyr.
The images went public just as crews were making fast work of building a set in Cambridge meant to replicate Bulger's old South Boston haunt. The Polish American Club on Cambridge Street has been transformed, inside and out, into a replica of Triple O's Lounge. Club member Karen Scott tells WBZ she doesn't mind the club being off limits to members for two weeks while it's used as a movie set.
"They picked the right spot!" Scott exclaimed. "And I heard some of the members are even going to be extras!"
Crews are not stopping with Triple O's. They are transforming several storefronts across Cambridge Street as well. Many are receiving makeovers, new signage, and rusty bars across the windows, apparently to simulate the producers' image of Southie in the 70s and 80s.
"I think I'm down in Southie now," joked John Carvahlo. "It looks pretty good."
His bakery will get a new look and a new name, and will likely appear in the background of some the shots in "Black Mass", along with his neighbors' stores.
Deadline.com reports filming in Boston is expected to take 8 weeks and that Warner Brothers Studio is targeting an October 2015 release.
Ben Affleck is also rumored to be working on a Whitey Bulger project scripted by Boardwalk Empire creator Terrence Winter with Matt Damon expected to play the mobster. It's unclear where that project now stands with Warner Bros. picking up Black Mass and Affleck busy portraying Batman.
WBZ-TV's Jim Armstrong contributed to this report.
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