It would appear that Johnny Depp enjoyed brushing back up against the world of organized crime in last year’s Black Mass. His work in the film, where he played Whitey Bulger, earned him rave reviews and award nominations- things that Depp hasn’t received in the years since he took his career on a more commercial path. Variety is reporting that Depp is in very early talks for Paramount’s high-profile thriller Triple Frontier. 

How high-profile is the picture? Well, it’s being directed by J.C. Chandor, who handled the 2014 critical darling A Most Violent Year, and actors like Tom Hanks and Will Smith have also been approached. 

Here’s how Variety describes the film, which is an ensemble crime thriller:

“The film is set in the notorious border zone between Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil where the Iguazu and Parana rivers converge — making “la triple frontera” difficult to monitor and a haven for organized crime.”

Paramount has yet to comment on the talks between itself and Depp, but the long-gestating film garnered his attention at an earlier stage when Kathryn Bigelow was set to direct it. The fact that he’s back in the fray means that the material must’ve really piqued his interest. The script was written by Bigelow’s producing partner Mark Boal. Boal wrote The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, as well as the upcoming film adaptation of the video game Uncharted.

Depp has a history of gravitating towards crime films, with Donnie Brasco and Public Enemies also adorning his resumé.

SOURCE: Variety