Billy Crudup has joined the cast of Michael Mann's Public Enemies, reports Variety.

The Almost Famous star will play FBI chief J Edgar Hoover in the movie, which tells the story of the US government's attempts to catch bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp).

Christian Bale plays Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent attempting to bring Dillinger to justice, with Avatar's Stephen Lang as the head of the Texas Rangers.

David Wenham, Stephen Graham, Marion Cotillard, Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi and Stephen Dorff also star.

Shooting recently began in Wisconsin.

Crudup previously filmed Watchmen, based on the comic books by Alan Moore.