Producers Kelly McCormick and Allan Mandelbaum Reveal They Couldn’t Stop Thinking About the ‘How To Rob A Bank’ Script for a Week: “It Could Be Fun and Wild”
Ahead of the film’s theatrical release on November 20, the producers open up about the viral heist premise, tapping into contemporary culture, and assembling a powerhouse ensemble led by Nicholas Hoult and Zoë Kravitz.
Anticipation continues to build ahead of the theatrical release of the high-energy heist thriller How To Rob A Bank. Promising a sharp blend of adrenaline, wit, and high-stakes drama set against the backdrop of viral social media fame, the film’s producers Kelly McCormick and Allan Mandelbaum recently reflected on their immediate fascination with the screenplay and the creative vision behind bringing it to the big screen.
Recalling her initial reaction to the script alongside director David Leitch, McCormick shared, “It was almost a week later, after we first read it, I said to David, I can’t stop thinking about that script. And he was like, You know, me either. There’s something about it, isn’t there?”
Beyond its snappy, high-concept setup, Leitch and McCormick saw an opportunity to push past traditional heist conventions while staying true to the bold, audience-first filmmaking style their banner, 87North, has become synonymous with.
“We were thinking about the sort of energy behind that frustration people are feeling,” McCormick explained. “Was there something to this script? And could we be part of that conversation in a way that felt very 87North, that felt very David Leitch-ian – that it could be fun and wild, but also put a message forward – be part of an important conversation our society is having right now, and strike a chord that so many people are feeling today?”
Echoing her sentiments on the creative duo’s instinct for contemporary storytelling, producer Allan Mandelbaum noted, “David and Kelly and what they’ve built at 87North – it’s undeniable. They have really found a way to tap into mainstream culture and audiences in a way that very few filmmakers do. They have their finger on the pulse of the culture and what audiences respond to.”
The story follows a daring crew whose livestreamed bank robberies quickly spiral into a high-stakes cat-and-mouse chase. As their audacious crimes turn them into overnight viral sensations, a seasoned FBI agent joins forces with a sharp software engineer to bring them down. Unwilling to surrender the spotlight, the crew raises the stakes, risking everything to pull off their boldest heist yet.
Directed by David Leitch and written by Mark Bianculli, the film features a stacked ensemble cast led by Nicholas Hoult, Zoë Kravitz, Anna Sawai, Rhenzy Feliz, and Christian Slater as Walton, alongside Pete Davidson and John C. Reilly.
Produced by Amazon MGM Studios, How To Rob A Bank will be distributed internationally by Sony Pictures Releasing International and arrives in cinemas on November 20.
By Keerti Kadam