Scott Cooper’s Whitey Bulger crime drama Black Mass is one of the more hotly anticipated releases of the upcoming fall movie season. Now, Cooper appears to be lining up his next project, American Wolf, with Leonardo DiCaprio taking on producing duties. The Wrap had the exclusive yesterday evening.
American Wolf tells the true story of a hunter in Yellowstone National Park who mistakenly kills an endangered wolf, which sparks outrage. In the aftermath, the hunter finds an unlikely friendship in the researcher who works for the park. The source material comes from Texas Monthly‘s Nate Blakeslee.
The material fits for Leonardo DiCaprio, a noted environmentalist and conservationist. The story in American Wolf also feels topical, at least for now, given the recent outrage over the killing of Cecil the Lion. As for Cooper, this will be his fourth major feature film following Crazy Heart, Into the Furnace, and the upcoming Back Mass. Cooper is an uneven filmmaker for me, one who captures compelling moments in otherwise up and down films. Hopefully, Black Mass will codify his best traits throughout.
Black Mass hits theaters September 18.
