A new movie based on the 2004 Northern Bank robbery will begin shooting in Belfast and Dublin in the new year.
No Ordinary Heist is described as a “gripping new Irish thriller inspired by the largest cash heist in UK and Irish history”.
Shooting on the film, produced by newly launched Picture Locked Productions, will begin in January and will star British actor Eddie Marsan alongside Cork’s Éanna Hardwicke.
Written by Aisling Corristine, the movie will be directed by Colin McIvor, director of the 2018 film Zoo, which was based on the true story of efforts to save a baby elephant at Belfast Zoo during World War 2.
The Northern Bank robbery remains the largest bank heist to date in the UK and Ireland and saw £26.5 million stolen in December 2004.
Armed men took over the homes of two of the bank’s employees, who were forced to go to work and load stolen cash into a van while their families were held hostage.
One of the men was later charged in connection with the robbery but was acquitted after a trial in 2008. Charges against three other suspects were dropped.
The robbery was blamed on the Provisional IRA and threatened to derail the peace process and efforts to restore power-sharing at Stormont, which had collapsed in 2002.
A description of the film states it will be a “gripping fictional tale of two bank employees thrust into a chilling scheme”.
“Forced to orchestrate a £26.5 million robbery to save their families, they are made to execute the crime without the gang ever stepping foot inside the bank,” it adds.
Director Colin McIvor said: “For Aisling and me, it was always the human story behind this truly extraordinary, complex and terrifying event that appealed, and the fact it all played out on my doorstep, only added to that cinematic appeal. And so, having been inspired, we set out to use this event as the basis for our fictionalised drama.”
Ruth Carter and Johanna Hogan, the duo behind Picture Locked Productions, said in a joint statement: “This is an exciting collaboration between incredibly talented professionals. After two decades of working together on various projects, forming Picture Locked felt like the natural next step.
“With No Ordinary Heist, we’re thrilled to work alongside Damon Lane and Colin McIvor as we bring this gripping story to life. With such a stellar cast, an enthralling script, and a talented director, we’re excited to begin filming in January 2025 - coinciding with the 20th anniversary of this remarkable event in December 2024″.
