Jim Sheridan to direct film based on 'Black Mass'

Jim Sheridan is set to direct a big-screen drama based on Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill's book "Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob."

According to Variety, Sheridan wrote the screenplay with Nye Heron. The film focuses on Whitey Bulger, a Boston enforcer who helped build the Winter Hill Gang, a confederation known for selling drugs and delivering guns to the Irish Republican Army.

"This is a story of a corrupt system and about how an angry guy became the second most wanted man after Bin Laden," Sheridan told Variety.

Sheridan's last directing effort was "Get Rich or Die Tryin'." He is currently working on the post-production for "Brothers," starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman and Tobey Maguire.

As for Heron, he served as second unit director on Sheridan's "The Boxer," "In America" and the two flicks I mentioned just above.