JJ Abrams producing heist pic

Based on a real-life crime

Mar 17th 2009 By Total Film

Paramount and JJ Abrams have bagged the rights to a Wired magazine article about one of the most ambitious diamond heists of all time.

Abrams’ Bad Robot company will produce the tale of the world’s biggest shiny gem theft, which saw Italian criminals breaking into a seemingly impossible vault at the Antwerp Diamond Centre (below).

They made off with $100 million in swag that was never found.

Leonardo Notarbartolo was the man suspected of leading the team that pulled it off, and found himself attested in 2003. Sentenced to prison for 10 years, he’s just been released on good behaviour.

Talk about yer ready-made expert consultants!

Joshua Davis – who has seen several of his articles turned into film ideas – wrote the story for the magazine’s April issue.

There’s no word on a writer or director yet. Should JJ wish to purchase this article about the rights being bought, we have very favourable terms available: one million pounds over three percent of the gross, plus a tin of Heinz beans.

[Source: Variety]

Heist society… Who should star in this latest tale of criminal daring?