Halle Berry is final negations to join Amazon MGM Studios upcoming thriller “Crime 101,” adding some additional star power to a feature that already boasts a cast of Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Barry Keoghan.
The film — which Variety understands is due to start shooting in two weeks — is based on the short story by Don Winslow, with Bart Layton (“American Animals,” “The Imposter”) directing. Layton — who also exec produced “The Tinder Swindler” alongside numerous other unscripted series — wrote the script.
Winslow’s original story follows a series of high level jewellery thefts up and down the Pacific Coast Highway that have gone unsolved for years, mostly because the perpetrator has lived by a strict code he calls “Crime 101.” Police attribute the thefts to the Colombian cartels. But Detective Lou Lubesnick’s gut says it’s the work of just one man. Now the lone-wolf jewel thief is looking for that fabled final last score and Lou breaks all the rules of Crime 101.
Related Stories
“Crime 101” is being produced by Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner, The Story Factory’s Shane Salerno; Raw’s Layton and Dimitri Doganis; and Derrin Schlesinger. Raw’s Joely Fether will executive produce. Hemsworth — who like Ruffalo and Keoghan is also still formally in negotiations to star — will also produce alongside producing partner Ben Grayson.
Popular on Variety
“Crime 101” comes off a busy big-screen period for Oscar-winner Berry, who this year has appeared in survival thriller “Never Let Go” and spy comedy “The Union.”
Berry is represented by WME, Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole, The Lede Company, and Range Media Partners.
