Anthony Mackie confirmed for Ruben Fleischer's Gangster Squad

After being rumored, Variety has confirmed that Anthony Mackie has joined the cast of Gangster Squad(formerly Tales of the Gangster Squad), Ruben Fleischer's film about an elite team of LAPD agents with a mission to stem the influence of east coast mobsters on the west coast. The story comes from a series of articles by LA Times writer, Paul Lieberman. Will Beall, an ex-LAPD officer turned writer, is drafting the script.

Sean Penn is on board as famous Jewish mobster, Mickey Cohen. Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin are two of the cops aiming to take him down. There's a role in there for Michael Pena, and Mackie will reportedly play LAPD lieutenant Rocky Washington.

This one just keeps getting better, and I continue to believe that Mackie is on the verge of a serious breakout. It should've happened already given the string of wonderful performances he's given us, but maybe a high profile film like this will do it.

Shooting on Gangster Squad is set to begin this fall.