Two days ago it was a question; today it's a reality: Johnny Depp will indeed portray John Dillinger in Michael Mann's Public Enemies. According to Variety, the actor and director sealed the deal yesterday a few hours prior to Depp's appearance at the Sweeney Todd premiere. This is one of those rare situations in which something good came as a result of the writer's strike (not that it means the writer's strike is a good thing, of course), because Depp was only able to take this role after his Shantaram gig was postponed. Mann, too, has had other projects in his pipeline lately, including Empire with Will Smith, Frankie Machine with Robert De Niro, a Hollywood noir with Leonardo Dicaprio, Edwin A. Salt with Tom Cruise and one of two dueling biopics about ex-KGB Alexander Litvinenko (with the competing movie expected to star Depp, interestingly enough). None of those films have been reported as being passed over due to the strike, though. Public Enemies was scripted by Mann himself, adapted from Bryan Burrough's book "Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34." In addition to Dillinger, the non-fiction tome goes into the stories of gangsters Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, the Barker gang and Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. There's no indication, however, that the movie will be focusing on any story except Dillinger's. Maybe the others will show up in passing, while Dillinger features as the main concentration. With a star like Depp in the guy's shoes, it's hard to imagine him sharing the screen with anyone expected to be taken as significant as he. Then again, it is called Public Enemies plural ...
Mann and Depp are set to begin shooting in Chicago in March.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-02-2008 @ 11:00AM
Linda said...
I grew up in the home where Dillinger hid out, bar actually.
Anyone involved in the movie interested in more info?
Nothing like having a real life location.
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1-21-2008 @ 8:24PM
Wayne said...
The movie company just purchased my 1933 Pontiac for Johnny Depp to drive in the movie.
Hope he does not reck it! I liked that car.
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1-21-2008 @ 11:48PM
SCREENWRITERS-NON-UNION.COM said...
DEPP IS QUALITY ALL THE WAY!!!! WHATEVER HE SETS HIS MIND TO IS UNIQUE!!! MANN, DIRECTING...IS THE KEY TO A HIGHER QUALITY PRODUCTION. GOLD FOR SURE, THIS WILL BE DEPPS OSCAR!!!! I SAID IT...YOU CAN BANK ON IT!!!
3RD COAST PRODUCTIONS.COM SCREENWRITERS-NON-UNION.COM
-ORIGINAL CONTENT FOR FILM AND TV- IT'S WHAT WE DO,- I WANT DEPP NEXT,,,,FOR OUR PROJECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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2-04-2008 @ 12:09PM
comedianron said...
I have numerous original pictures from the area during the early 1900's through 1940's of gangsters, cars, guns, hideaway's their woman and their vacations. interested parties should contact me.
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3-11-2008 @ 12:19PM
Margo said...
It's really sad though, about this movie, that they do not use a Native American actress. I've seen Marion Cotillard's resume, and as great as it is, there are Native American actresses out there that deserve a break like this. Just because Billie's father, who died when she was 8 years old was part french.....her mother was enrolled Menominee!
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3-19-2008 @ 1:59PM
julie said...
some of it is being filmed in my hometown, darlington, Wi, at our Lafayette country court house! the whole town is going Johnny Depp- crazyy!!!
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3-19-2008 @ 11:34PM
SHEILA said...
HI I WAS THERE IN COLUMBUS WISCONSIN IM FROM FOND DU LAC WI, I WAS STANDING FOR 4 HRS 3A.M TO 6:30 AM BY THE CITY HALL TO SEE JOHNNY DEPP BUT I DIDNT SEE HIM I WAS WAY TO COLD TO STAND IN LINE BY THE ROAD GATES SO I LEFT MY TOES WEAR TO COLD OWELL I WILL SEE THE MOVIE SOON BY NEXT YEAR BUT I WAS ON THE STREETS WHEN THEY WHERE FIXING IT UP I TOOK LOTS OF PICS MARCH 15TH GOD BLESS JOHNNY DEPP WE ALL LOVE HIM IN WISCONSIN, PLEASE COME BACK JOHNNY DEPP AGAIN TO MAKE ANOTHER AWESOME GOOD FILM,
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3-20-2008 @ 1:44AM
Jordan Kane said...
I was just in the jail today 3/9/2008 helpin do the electric work its closed to public. Depp was in there a few days back with Mann and I told them where his cell was although no one is certain but we think we got it right, they've repainted the jail bars, and sand blasted the floor, Hollywood is in there right now painting wood as brick walls because some of the walls were knocked down, they are restoring everything to its original, not everything because from what I have heard they are only shooting a few scenes there. The court room scene will be shot in Chicago in a bank do to a 500 puond light ficture in the curtroom they cant move. This movie will be great Depp is excited and Mann is also very excited cant wait to see it!!!
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3-22-2008 @ 11:51AM
Amanda said...
I was at the filming in Columbus, Wisconsin today. It was amazing being able to see behind the scenes of a major movie. Most of the people I saw were extras driving the beautiful 1930's cars. The costumes excellent as well. and as I was leaving I did get to catch a glimpse of Johnny Depp.
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