Peter Facinelli goes from TWILIGHT to producer with Whitey Bulger adaptation

Peter Facinelli (Twilight Saga) is set to produce an adaptation of Street Soldier: My Life as an Enforcer For Whitey Bulger and the Boston Irish Mob, written by Edward MacKenzie and Phyllis Karas. Deadline reports that Facinelli Films has joined forces with Brookstreet Pictures on the indie film.

The project will tell the story of "Bulger's rise and disappearance from the Boston mob scene." Bulger was the basis of Jack Nicholson's character in The Departed. He was recently apprehended after vanishing in 1994 right before being arrested in connection with 21 killings, racketeering and other crimes during the 70's and 80's for the Winter Hill gang.

Facinelli was involved in the project before all the recent interest in Bulger's story since his arrest. The script was penned by Nick Gordon and the project has a funding commitment from Brookstreet Pictures. The plan is to tell the story from the vantage point of MacKenzie, "a boxer, drug dealer and feared enforcer." The project will soon be sent out to directors and actors. 

I think that this sounds pretty cool. I liked The Departed story and was interested in learning more about Bulger. What are your thoughts on this news? Who should play Bulger in the film?