Pitt, Gandolfini, Bardem et al. Headline 'Cogan's Trade' Film

"Cogan's Trade", the film based on the 1974 novel of the same name, has announced some major casting news.

According to the LA Times, Brad Pitt will play the title character who is investigating a heist initiated by a hustler during a high-stakes poker game run by a hustler (played by Ray Liotta). Others who have been announced to appear in the film include Javier Bardem, James Gandolfini, Casey Affleck, and Mark Ruffalo.

Javier Bardem rose to fame in the 1992 Spanish film "Jamón, jamón" opposite Penélope Cruz. However, his Hollywood success came in the form of "Before Night Falls" in 2000. He continued to star in a string of critically performances until 2007's "No Country for Old Men", for which his performance was widely lauded and he received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He will also appear on the massively popular FOX show GLEE later this year.

Mark Ruffalo is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter. He portrayed Stan in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," Inspector David Toschi in the 2007 film "Zodiac" and US Marshal Chuck Aule in "Shutter Island". Ruffalo has also appeared as a romantic leading man in "13 Going on 30" (2004), "Just Like Heaven" (2005) and "Rumor Has It" (2005).

James Gandolfini is best known for his performance as Tony Soprano in HBO's "The Sopranos" for which he received a Golden Globe, four SAG Awards and three Emmy Awards. He made his Broadway debut when he appeared with Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin in A Streetcar Named Desire. His numerous film credits include Romance & Cigarettes; The Man Who Wasn't There; The Castle; The Mexican; Get Shorty, the upcoming The Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3, Where The Wild Things Are and In the Loop.

"Cogan's Trade" is produced by The Weinstein Co. and Plan B Entertainment. Shooting begins later this month, and the film is slated for a release in early 2012; read the full LA Times article here.