Public Enemies is director Michael Mann’s latest project, and it marks the eagerly anticipated return of Stephen Dorff, whose performance in Feardotcom inspired a generation. Johnny Depp and Christian Bale are in it too. Empire has the first official stills.

Described as a sort of Heat II, the film tells the story of charismatic criminal gang leader John Dillinger (Depp) and determined lawman Melvin Purvis (Bale), the FBI agent tracking him down. Also in the cast is Marion Cotillard as Dillinger’s girlfriend, Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi, David Wenham, Leelee Sobieski and Emilie de Ravin, with Billy Crudup as the legendary J. Edgar Hoover.

I think I speak for all the heterosexual males readers when I say, this won’t be the first time I’ve pictured Billy Crudup in lipstick and a dress.  I mean… because I wanted to seem him demonstrate his range as an actor.  What?  Hey, so how ’bout that one football game the other day.

Ahh, poor J. Edgar Hoover.  Practically founded the FBI, and the first thing people still think when they hear his name is “that dude who wears women’s panties.”

Public Enemies is director Michael Mann’s (Heat, Collateral, Miami Vice) latest project, and it marks the eagerly anticipated return of Stephen Dorff, whose performance in Feardotcom inspired a generation.  Johnny Depp and Christian Bale are in it too.

Opening July 1st 2009, the film follows the feds’ attempt to fight the crime wave of the 1930s.  Depp plays John Dillinger, Christian Bale plays FBI agent Melvin Purvis.  Collider has a batch of new pictures from the set, including these gems of Johnny Depp’s balls. 

It’s funny, my grandpa wears that exact same style of pants.  I think they may have been about belly-button high like Depp’s when he bought them, but as he shrinks with age he shows no desire to switch to a smaller size, and these days they hang about armpit level.  Pretty soon he’s just gonna have to cut some eyeholes below the belt line. Unless he decides to just look out the fly since he usually leaves it unzipped anyway.  God, I can’t wait ’til I’m old.

Our buddies over at AICN have these and some more pictures of Johnny Depp playing John Dillinger from the set of Public Enemies in Wisconsin. 

Michael Mann’s one of my favorite action directors, but this time he’s forgotten one of the bare necessities for the scene: the dollar sign that’s supposed to go on the bag.  I mean what’s he got in there, bricks? LOL!  

Here’s your first look at Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in Michael Mann’s Public Enemies – also to star Christian Bale as FBI agent Melvin Purvis and Channing Tatem as Pretty Boy Floyd.  I’m not sure about the casting choices here – I mean, if you’re hanging out with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale and you get the nickname "Pretty Boy" you have to be damn near a woman.  Perhaps Jonathan Rhys Meyers or Zac Efron would’ve been a better choice?

I can only pray that Johnny Depp in Public Enemies will have half the limp-wristed misogyny of Jimmy Cagney in Public Enemy (video after the jump).  Maybe he could mash a grapefruit in Christian Bale’s face and they could make out or something.

[Source - thanks to Robby for the tip] 

Michael Mann’s Public Enemies has picked up another hot dude, with Christian Bale in negotiations to star alongside Johnny Depp.  Also important to note, all Public Enemies-related news will include the above clip from Public Enemy.

According to a person familiar with the situation, Bale will play Melvin Purvis, the legendary FBI agent who led the manhunt for John Dillinger. Depp is starring as Dillinger in the pic, which is set up at Universal and is slated to begin production in March.

Mmm’yeah, see! Throw down the loot or the coppa gets, ya heah?  God I hope someone gets a grapefruit to the face in this one.  30s gangster talk aside, I’m praying this will keep Bale from doing a fourth Terminator with McG.  Letting McG make a fourth Terminator is like putting crocs on a hobo – two wrongs don’t make a right, man.