Black Mass movie news: Johnny Depp and Benedict Cumberbatch play brothers in the upcoming Bulger Biopic

Black Mass is an upcoming action crime-drama film about the story of Whitey Bulger, a Boston crime boss. The film is based on the book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill, and is said to be the "true story of Billy Bulger, Whitey Bulger, FBI agent John Connolly and the FBI's witness protection program that was created by J. Edgar Hoover."

The movie stars Johnny Depp as Whitey Bulger, Benedict Cumberbatch as Billy Bulger, Kevin Bacon as Charles McGuire, Joel Edgerton as John Connolly, Sienna Miller as Catherine Greig and Dakota Johnson as Lindsey Cyr.

This big-budget biopic film will be directed by Scott Cooper from a script by Jim Sheridan, Jez Butterworth, and Russell Gewirtz. Cooper was the director of the highly acclaimed drama film, Crazy Heart, which won Best Actor for Jeff Bridges and Best Original Song in 2010's Academy Awards.

Principal photography of the film began on May 19, 2014 in Boston, and wrapped-up on August 1, 2014 in Boston. The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. worldwide on September 18, 2015.

In another news, the movie was the highest profile from a list of movies that were shot in Boston, Massachusetts because of tax credits given by the Mass government to the film.  "Giving tax credits to Hollywood producers is not a very effective way to help the Massachusetts economy," according to Noah Berger, president of the left-leaning Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center.

But supporters say the tax credit is worthwhile investment that is building a local film industry, generating economic activity and jobs, raising the state's profile, and boosting tourism. Lisa Strout, the director of the Massachusetts State Film Office, said that membership in local film and television unions is growing and highlighted the construction of massive sound stages in Devens as a sign the state's film industry had entered "a new growth phase."