Jesse Plemons looked like as close to a top contender for a role in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII to the point that director J.J. Abrams even confirmed he met with the FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS and BREAKING BAD actor for a lead role in the film. But, since then the script has changed quite a bit and actors we once thought were in are now nowhere to be found. This may be why we are hearing that Plemons is joining another film.
The Hollywood Reporter has Plemons and Juno Temple joining Johnny Depp in the Whitey Bulger biopic BLACK MASS which is slated to begin shooting this summer. STAR WARS: EPISODE VII is also scheduled to begin filming this May which would likely mean that Plemons cannot appear in both films. It is not unheard of for an actor to film two movies concurrently, but projects the size and scope of STAR WARS are very time consuming which likely rules Plemons out.
BLACK MASS isn’t exactly a chump project, either. The movie has been in development for quite some time and has CRAZY HEART director Scott Cooper at the helm.
The true-crime thriller from Warner Bros. and Cross Creek Pictures will star Depp as the South Boston criminal mastermind, who was sentenced in November to two consecutive life terms plus five years after being found guilty on 31 counts of racketeering, money laundering, extortion and weapons charges (including his role in 19 murders).
BLACK MASS also features Joel Edgerton as FBI agent John Connolly and Guy Pearce as Bill Bulger. Dakota Johnson is also in talks to join the film. The casting report says that Temple will play a prostitute and Plemons will play Kevin Weeks, a blue-collar tough guy who is part of Whitey’s inner circle.
While this adds another level of mystery to just what the hell is going on with STAR WARS: EPISODE VII, I really like the cast of BLACK MASS and cannot wait to see how it turns out. If OUT OF THE FURNACE was any indicator, Scott Cooper could direct one hell of a film here.
BREAKING BAD spoiler alert in the video below, but Jesse Plemons literally killed on that show and is bound to be awesome in BLACK MASS.
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