Johnny Depp channels Whitey Bulger in Black Mass trailer

Johnny Depp is freaking everybody out again, but in a good way this time. He's unrecognizable in this first trailer for Black Mass, the true crime story based on the childhood friendship between Whitey Bulger, the head of the Irish mob in the 1970's, and John Connely who grew up to be head of the FBI. For once Johnny achieves self-erasure not merely by donning wig, mustaches and adopting bizarre body language, but apparently by channeling the infamous mobster. 

 

Joel Edgerton costars as Connolly with a supporting cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Kevin Bacon, Sienna Miller, Cory Stoll, Dakota Johnson and Juno Temple. Based on the book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill, Black Mass is  due out September 17th by which time I will have figured out what Cumberbatch is doing in a supporting role; it must be a seriously good film with seriously well-written supporting parts by screenwriters Mark Mallouk and Jez Butterworth. Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) directed.

The early buzz is this could be the Johnny Depp movie we've been waiting for. Oh, I hope so! Check it out —