Hollywood came to Downtown Columbus!

It was cold and cloudy the morning of March 17th 2008 when a black Cadillac Escalade pulled around the corner of East Harrison and Water Street and stopped in front of the City Parking Lot.

Johnny Depp and Christian Bale are both expected in Columbus in mid March. The entire downtown business district is currently being prepared and will be used for filming. This major motion picture directed by Michael Mann will be in theaters sometime in 2009.

The sign read PE BASE CAMP and brave onlookers and movie buffs watched as the black doors opened and out stepped John Christopher Depp II, known world wide as Johnny Depp.

It was at this point that little Columbus became Hollywood Wisconsin.

Other actors would follow including Oscar winner Marion Cotillard, David Wenham, Stephen Dorff, Jason Clarke, Christian Stolte and John Michael Bolger, all under the meticulous eye of Director Michael Mann in the making of the largest Major Motion Picture ever filmed in Wisconsin, "Public Enemies.".

Just as he did seventy four years ago John Dillinger and his gang would once again roam the streets of Columbus.

Sixteen hours a day for five days, Depp and Company would occupy Columbus like an invading Army, shooting scene after scene in what the director would call "a perfect downtown set."

Bank robberies, love scenes, daring escapes and Tommy Guns would rule the morning, afternoon and night.