Bradley Cooper set for THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES opposite Ryan Gosling

Bradley Cooper has signed on to play the lead in a multi-generational crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines. Earlier we reported that Cooper had been offered the role. Variety has confirmed he will play a rookie police officer opposite Ryan Gosling. The film is co-written and directed by Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) based on a script co-written by Ben Coccio (Zero Day). Gosling will portray "a pro motorcycle rider who turns to bank robberies to support his newborn son, when he crosses paths with an officer in a confrontation that spirals into a generational feud." 

Filming is slated to start July 25 in Schenectady, N.Y. Sidney Kimmel, Lynette Howell, Alex Orlovsky and Jamie Patricof will produce. Howell, Orlovsky and Patricof also produced Blue Valentine, which also starred Gosling. 

Cooper begins filming the indie drama The Words next week. The film is the directorial debut of Tron Legacy scribes Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal. Michael Benaroya, Animus Films' Jim Young and Serena Films' Tatiana Kelly are producing.

I loved Blue Valentine from Cianfrance, and am excited for this film. The cast and story sound pretty solid for this film. What are your thoughts on this news?