LOS ANGELES  - Ray Liotta has joined the cast of "Cogan's Trade," an all-star crime thriller headlined by Brad Pitt.

Pitt's Jackie Cogan is a professional enforcer who must investigate a heist that took place during a high-stakes poker game under protection of the mob. Liotta will play Mark "Markie" Trattman, the unfortunate hustler who runs the game in a motel room and finds things only going downhill from there.

The cast also includes James Gandolfini, Javier Bardem, Sam Rockwell, Casey Affleck, Mark Ruffalo, Vincent Curatola and Richard Jenkins.

Andrew Dominik is directing from his adaptation of the 1974 George V. Higgins novel. The Weinstein Co. and Pitt's Plan B Entertainment are producing the project, which will begin shooting in New Orleans later this month for an early 2012 release.

Liotta recently appeared in the Sundance premieres "The Son of No One" and "The Details." He hits theaters in October with the comedy "Wanderlust."