NEWS FLASH: New Release Date and Location News for Channing Tatum's 'Public Enemies'

It's been a while since I have updated everyone on Channing Tatum's upcoming film 'Public Enemies'. Although Chan has not started filming yet, because he's been working on 'G.I. Joe', the production has been going full steam ahead all over the Midwest with A-List stars like Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Marion Cotillard.

Universal recently announced that 'Public Enemies' will be released in theaters on July 1, 2009. With an A-List cast, a huge budget, and a 4th of July weekend release, I think the movie has officially earned its summer blockbuster status.

As I previously mentioned, there's been a lot going on with the movie. They filmed in 20 degree weather with Johnny Depp and hundreds of fans in Crown Point, Indiana March 24th - 26th at the old Lake County Sheriff's House and Jail where Johnny re-inacted the March 3, 1934 Dillinger escape from the Crown Point jail.

The production then moved to Chicago on March 27th where they filmed night shoots with Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, and Rory Cochrane in the Clark, Sheffield, and Newport areas. In the photo on the left, you can see the 1930's shanty town the production created under a section of Chi-town's famed elevated train in a neighborhood called Lakeview near the Wrigleyville area of Chicago.

They also converted a large portion of the block to look like Chicago in the 1930's, which included fake cobble stone streets like the previous shoots in Columbus. The street lamps were replaced with old-fashion, gas-lamp lookalikes, and they placed several vintage cars on the street. They are even having old train cars run on one of the tracks of the elevated. You can CLICK HERE to see lots of great photos from the set taken by someone who lives on the street where they filmed.

The film crew and cast have now moved to the Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora, Illinois for today and tomorrow. The historic location originally opened in 1931 and was the first air-conditioned movie palace opened outside of Chicago in Illinois. It will be used as a stand in for Chicago's Biograph Theater in the film.

Just to give you a little background, John Dillinger (Depp) was killed by federal agents as he stepped out of the Biograph Theater on July 22, 1934. It was chosen by Paramount, because they liked the beauty and historical accuracy of the theater for the time period. Designed by nationally renowned theater architects C.W. and George L. Rapp, the gorgeous theater is a hybrid of Art Deco and traditional French Renaissance style.

Next they are supposed to film in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, which will fill in for the March 6, 1934 Sioux Falls Security National Bank and Trust robbery where Dillinger and his gang stole almost $50,000. Reportedly pre-production and filming will take place in downtown Oshkosh from April 10 - 20. Actual filming is set to start April 11th and will last approximately two days at the Old First National Bank on Main Street.

On or about April 29th, the production will head back to Columbus, Wisconsin to film again for a day or so. About the same time, they are also scheduled to film in downtown Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. The lobby of The Rogers, which opened in 1928 and is formally known as Hotel Rogers, will be used for the shoot. Maple Avenue and Spring Street will be shut down for filming.

It's also been announced that John Dillinger’s November 20, 1933 bank robbery in Racine, Wisconsin where his gang robbed the American Bank & Trust Co., wounded two people, and took another 3 hostage will be shot at the Milwaukee County Historical Center. If you would like to know more about Dillinger and his gang's bank robbing crime spree that spanned from 1933 to his death in 1934, you can CLICK HERE.

Based on reports, the production is supposed to also head to the following locations soon:

• Richland Center, Wisconsin
• Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin (Little Bohemia Resort)

Since the last post about this film, they have added a ton more cast and crew. Academy Award-winning composer Elliot Goldenthal will reunite with director Michael Mann, 13 years after his score for Mann's popular action thriller 'Heat'. Mann's films are known for having an eclectic soundtrack, so we should expect different kinds of music in addition to the original score by Elliot Goldenthal in the final cut of the film.

As far as casting is concerned, Variety recently reported that Billy Crudup has been chosen to play FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and Stephen Lang will play Winstead, the leader of the Texas Rangers who joins the manhunt for John Dillinger and his gang. Rory Cochrane is playing agent W. Carter Baum. Gangsters Ed Shouse and Tommy Carroll will be played by Chicago actor Michael Vieau and Spencer Garrett.

Below you will find the main 'Public Enemies' cast list and the roles they will be portraying:

• Johnny Depp - John Dillinger
• Channing Tatum - Pretty Boy Floyd
• Christian Bale - Melvin Purvis
• Marion Cotillard - Billie Frechette
• Giovanni Ribisi - Alvin Karpis
• Stephen Dorff - Homer Van Meter
• David Wenham - Pete Pierpont
• John Ortiz - Frank Nitti
• Stephen Graham - Baby Face Nelson

The gangster film is an adaptation of Brian Burrough's book "Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-43" and centers on the government's attempt to stop John Dillinger and his gang.

Stay-tuned to Channing Tatum Unwrapped, and I will let you know when Channing finally lands on the 'Public Enemies' set.

Love Channing Tatum?
Stay in the Know...Subscribe to Channing Tatum Unwrapped: Email | RSS