Darren Aronofsky has signed on to co-produce and possibly direct a thriller based on a British bank job that netted more than $85 million in 2006.
The crime allegedly was masterminded by mixed martial arts brawler Lightning Lee Murray, who is in prison in Morocco in connection with the robbery.
XYZ Films and Time Inc. Studios have partnered with Protozoa Pictures for the film. XYZ is financing development.
The Tonbridge Securitas heist, which occurred outside of London, has been compared with the 1963 Great Train Robbery.
Belfast-born writer Kerry Williamson is adapting the script from the Sports Illustrated article “Breaking the Bank” by Jon Wertheim and the non-fiction book “Heist: The Inside Story of the World’s Biggest Robbery” by Howard Sounes.
“The story is a very unique British heist tale with colorful London characters," said Aronofsky ("The Wrestler"). "I’ve always wanted to shoot in England and Kerry is the perfect writer to bring authenticity to this outrageous true bank job."
Time and XYZ established a partnership last year to develop and produce movies based on articles from Time Inc.’s publications, such as Sports Illustrated.
XYZ Films partners and Scott Franklin of Protozoa Pictures will produce alongside Aronofsky, with Time Inc. Studios chief Paul Speaker executive producing.
