Johnny Depp chills in first trailer for the Whitey Bulger biopic BLACK MASS

Posted on by Andrew Call

johnny depp whitey bulger image for black mass trailer

Johnny Depp is back in the first frightening Black Mass trailer

Amidst some outstanding superhero movie and sequel trailers, Johnny Depp’s Whitey Bulger biopic Black Mass comes out of nowhere to remind us heavy-handed drama and pacing still holds its own when done well. I’m not very familiar with the movie or the true story criminal exploits and conviction of Bulger, so watching Depp swimming in deep water again in first trailer for the film was a pleasant surprise of goose bump-inducing goodness. The actor’s silly caricatures aside, the guy can terrify when given the opportunity. Black Mass looks like an intense departure and a welcome return to form for Depp, which is exciting in itself.

Watch the terrific first trailer for Black Mass after the jump.

Again, what a transformation (and not the costume-wearing, silly grin kind we’ve come to expect) from a man we knew had it in him. In a cinemascape over-saturated with remakes, re-imaginings, sequels, prequels, reboots, and reinterpretations, it’s oddly satisfying to see something solid-looking like Black Mass rear up and turn some heads.

If you’re in the same boat as me in regards to not knowing the story fueling the film, here’s a plot synopsis for Black Mass to fill us in:

In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly persuades Irish mobster James “Whitey” Bulger to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the true story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history.

Black Mass boasts a cast of heavy hitters to keep Johnny Depp on point. He’s joined by Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Corey Stoll, Kevin Bacon, Peter Sarsgaard, Juno Temple, Jesse Plemons, Adam Scott, Dakota Johnson, Rory Cochrane, W. Earl Brown, and David Harbour. The movie was directed by Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace, Crazy Heart) and is scheduled for theatrical release on September 18, 2015.