Anthony Mackie in talks for Michael Bay’s Pain and Gain

Anthony Mackie (Half Nelson, The Hurt Locker) is in negotiations to star opposite Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson in Michael Bay‘s crime caper Pain and Gain.

According to Variety, Mackie would play the third lead in the picture.

Said to be a relatively smaller budget exercise for Bay – at least, smaller than the presumed budget of his upcoming Transformers 4 – Pain and Gain is based on a true story in which ‘roided up Miami bodybuilders (Wahlberg, Johnson, Mackie) bungle the kidnapping of a millionaire, and find themselves at the wrong end of a revenge plot.

John Turturro is rumoured to be starring as the abducted millionaire. Rob Corddry and Ed Harris will also feature in the flick.

Discuss: Sound like an appealing change of pace for Bay?