Whitey Bulgar: Will He Get To Keep Any Royalties From The Movie Of His Life Story?

On Friday, prosecutors asked a judge to allow the seizure of assets accumulated by James “Whitey” Bulgar during his life of crime. They claim that he has over $25 million obtained over the decades he was a mob boss. They want the money to be paid to the victims of his activities.

Bulger, 84, was convicted last month in 11 killings, as well as extortion, money laundering and weapons charges and is likely to receive a life sentence next November.

However, given the nature of our somewhat dysfunctional society, in some aspects, there are plans for a movie to be made of his life!

At least. that is according to a report by Rebecca Keegan in last month’s Los Angeles Times, with the headline: “Whitey Bulger: Who should play him in the movie? [Poll]”.

The word “poll” tells us that the newspaper is actually asking its readers for their suggestions as to which current Hollywood Heart-throb would be most suited to the task of playing Bulgar.

Keegan says that Boston mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger is the kind of notorious, made-for-the-movies character who motivates actors to brush up on their scowls.

She adds that Bulger, has already the subject of multiple films, but not actually using his name. Jack Nicholson portrayed a sadistic, Bulger-modeled Irish mob boss in Martin Scorsese’s 2004 Oscar winner, “The Departed,” delivering memorable lines like, “Lots of people had to die for me to be me. You wanna be me?”

The movie could focus on one of several periods in his life, and thus feature an actor of nearly any age. Just to satisfy your curiosity, here are some of the names that have been put forward;

Josh Hutcherson, 20, the “Hunger Games” star is a prime age to portray Bulger’s troubled youth in Boston.

Mark Wahlberg,42. is a native Bostonian who happens to have served prison time,

Matt Damon,42, a native Bostonian who hasn’t served prison time.

Liam Neeson,61, is the prime age to play Bulger at the height of his power in the 1980s.

Robert Duvall, 82, knows mobster movies, and he’s the perfect fit to portray Bulger’s post-1994 life on the run, right up until his discovery in a Santa Monica apartment.

But, whoever is chosen, assuming the movie actually gets made, the main question still remains: Will Whitey Bulger ever get to keep any of the royalties?