Ray Liotta, the legendary actor who has embodied such famous characters as Shoeless Joe Jackson, Ray Sinclair and Good Fella Henry Hill, has reportedly just signed on for a new role in the upcoming big budget thriller Cogan’s Trade- a film set around an ill-fated poker game.

Liotta, known for his edgy performances, will be taking a supporting role in this one, backing up Brad Pitt, who is set to star in the film as a mob enforcer investigating a robbery of a “family” protected poker game run by Liotta.  Other stars said to be attached to the film- according to multiple industry news sites- include Mark Ruffalo, Casey Affleck, Javier Bardem, Sam Rockwell and James Gandolfini.

The poker in Cogan’s Trade, will apparently take a supporting role in the story as well, crucial to it, but not all encompassing the way it was in say Rounders, the Cincinnati Kid, or (God help us) Lucky You.  More likely, Cogan’s Trade will be a "poker movie" the way Dean Martin’s 5 Card Stud is, or the way Guys and Dolls is a musical about craps

Set for release in 2012, Cogan’s Trade, is already getting a lot of mainstream attention and- fairly or unfairly- it appears our poker community will be linked to the film in some degree, for better or for worse. 

Whether this film will end up being “good for poker,” is a topic open for debate, but the chances of it at least being “good” seem to have just gone up, with the welcome addition of the crazy guy from Something Wild, to a mix that already held the psychos from True Romance, Charlie’s Angels, and Twelve Monkeys.