Johnny Depp's 'Black Mass' Will Officially Play The Venice Film Festival Out Of Competition

As it turns out, those early reports were correct. Today, the Biennale di Venezia announced the out-of-competition world premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures’ highly anticipated drama "Black Mass," directed by Scott Cooper ("Crazy Heart," "Out of the Furnace") at the 72^nd Venice International Film Festival. The mobster drama stars Johnny Depp as notorious gangster James “Whitey” Bulger, along with an ensemble cast that features Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Jesse Plemons, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, and Kevin Bacon. "Black Mass" makes the second out of competition film announced in Vence after "Everest," the opening night film.

"Black Mass" will be screened on Friday September 4^th 2015 in the Sala Grande at the Palazzo del Cinema at Venice Lido. Directed by Alberto Barbera and organized by la Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Paolo Baratta, The 72^nd Venice International Film Festival will take place at the Lido from September 2-12, 2015. Here’s the synopsis for "Black Mass."

In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster Jimmy Bulger (Depp) to collaborate with the FBI in order to eliminate their common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement while consolidating his power and becoming one of the most ruthless and dangerous gangsters in Boston history.

Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute Black Mass worldwide beginning September 18^th. Its Italian release is scheduled for October 1, 2015.