As a recent member in the Michael Mann fan club, I’m always on the hunt to see what he’s doing next. While he hasn’t directed in a while (2006′s Miami Vice being the latest), he’s done some producing jobs that end up looking like he’d directed them. Last year’s The Kingdom directed by Peter Berg had Mann’s fingerprints all over it. In ’08, as we mentioned briefly on Cinecast Episode 75, another Peter Berg film, again produced by Mann, titled Hancock will likely be pretty similar in style to Mann.
But the good news is that Mann is helming a project slated to be released sometime in 2009 entitled Public Enemies and it sounds fabulous. According to the IMDb, the synopsis is as follows:
The Feds try to take down notorious American gangsters John Dillilnger, Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd during a booming crime wave in the 1930s.
I’m pretty sure this won’t be an entirely factual tale and I’m sure the action will be amped up a bit in typical Mann fashion (see Heat, Collateral, Miami Vice).
Now for the real good news. As I’ve been sort of Johnny “Depp-ed out” recently, it’s nice to see one of my favorite actors joining the cast that is not affiliated with Tim Burton; Depp being in the role of notorious gangster, John Dillinger. Then today, I was reading over at Variety that Christian Bale is signing on to play lead FBI agent, Melvin Purvis, who led the manhunt for Dillinger et al.
So yeah, barely into pre-production, we’ve got Bale and Depp in a 30′s style gangland picture directed by Michael Mann. Anyone else excited?
That is good news. I can’t think of anyone who could do a Thirties type gangster movie better than Michael Mann.
mmmmmmm. Yeah?
I’ve really enjoyed Mann’s work and though I really disliked Miami Vice on first viewing, that movie’s definitely grown on me with subsequent visits. But even if it hadn’t,a gangster flick with Depp and Bale is something I could definitely get excited about.
This just made my weekend. Word on this project only gets better and better. Rock on.
I love Gangster/Crime films, and I especially enjoy 30′s gangster films (those produced in the 1930′s as well as the ones set in that time period). At this early stage, I think PUBLIC ENEMIES is shaping up to be, at the very least, a fascinating addition to the genre.
Depped out?!
Let me recommend a little movie called Pirates 3. The guy will be great as Dillinger, though it will be hard to fill the shoes of Warren Oates.
I can’t think of anyone who could do a Thirties type gangster movie better than Michael Mann.
Sam Mendes?
Oh yeah, count me in. Been a fan of Mann since the first time I saw Heat, and I was one of the few who really enjoyed Miami Vice. With Depp and Bale as the leads in this, the news keeps getting better.
Sounds like Oscar nominated Marion Cotillard (La vie en Rose) will be joining the cast as well as Dillinger’s girlfriend Billie Frechette.
Also joining: Channing Tatum as Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd, Giovanni Ribisi as Alvin Karpis, Stephen Dorff as Homer Van Meter, and Jason Clarke as John “Red” Hamilton, all as members of the Dillinger gang.
more info over here
Yeah, I’m pretty excited about Ribisi and Dorff also joining the cast. Shaping up VERY nicely.