Shia & Dane on the 'Sexy Criminals' of 'Lawless'

Shia LaBeouf and Dane Dehaan co-star in the bootlegging action-drama Lawless, and the buddies explain to ET why people remain consistently fascinated with gangsters and the prohibition era…

Video: Shaggy Shia and Girlfriend Hit 'Lawless' Premiere

"It's the same kind of sexiness you've got with Bonnie and Clyde, or Butch Cassidy; American history is ridden with sexy criminals, Robin Hoods, and this was the same kind of thing, " says Shia. "These were the first Spider-Mans, Supermans that we ever had in our world -- they used to make comic books about the Bondurants."

Related: 'Nympho' LaBeouf to Have Sex 'For Real' in Film

In theaters August 29, Lawless finds Shia and Dane starring opposite Guy Pearce, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Gary Oldman, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska in the true story of the infamous Bondurant Brothers -- three bootlegging siblings who made a run for the American dream in Prohibition-era Virginia. The brothers' loyalty is put to the test as the authorities close in and corrupt officials want a piece of the action. The movie is based on Matt Bondurant's novel The Wettest County in the World.