Jeremy Renner has signed up to the adaptation of the true crime story King of Heists. The Bourne Legacy star will take on the lead role of George Leslie, who arrived in New York in the 1860s and fitted into high society, Deadline reports. However, Leslie was the mastermind of a famous heist at the Manhattan Savings Institution where his criminal gang managed to get a $$3 million (£1.91 million) haul. His involvement in the robbery remained unknown until after his death. Call of Duty (more)...
- 9/21/2011
- by By Zakia Uddin
- Digital Spy
After receiving Academy Award nominations for both The Hurt Locker and The Town, actor Jeremy Renner has been filling up his resume with high-profile roles in The Avengers, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and Bourne Legacy. Renner's most recent role will see him return to the world of bank robbery he explored in The Town.
Deadline reports that Renner is attached to star in King of Heists, which the actor will also produce. Based on author J. North Conway non-fiction book of the same name, Renner will play architect George Leslie, who led a double life as a thief, assembling a crew of New York City's finest criminals and executing a number of heists — the most infamous being the one that netted nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878.
Up-and-coming screenwriter Will Staples will adapt the script for the as-yet-unattached director.
Deadline reports that Renner is attached to star in King of Heists, which the actor will also produce. Based on author J. North Conway non-fiction book of the same name, Renner will play architect George Leslie, who led a double life as a thief, assembling a crew of New York City's finest criminals and executing a number of heists — the most infamous being the one that netted nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878.
Up-and-coming screenwriter Will Staples will adapt the script for the as-yet-unattached director.
- 9/21/2011
- by Ryan Gowland
- Reelzchannel.com
He’s taking on Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and slinging arrows as Hawkeye in The Avengers, but Jeremy Renner is still able to find room in his busy schedule for King of Heists, a period piece that will most likely showcase even more of Renner’s talents.
Oscar nominee Renner (he scored a nomination for The Town) is set to go back in time to rob a bank as real-life criminal mastermind, George Leslie. Leslie showed up in New York in 1878 appearing to be just an average guy, but he secretly assembled a crew and stole nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution.
The in-development film is being adapted from J. North Conway’s book, King of Heists: The Sensational Bank Robbery of 1878 That Shocked America. Renner, through his company The Combine, and Don Handfield are producing the film, with Will Staples providing the script.
Oscar nominee Renner (he scored a nomination for The Town) is set to go back in time to rob a bank as real-life criminal mastermind, George Leslie. Leslie showed up in New York in 1878 appearing to be just an average guy, but he secretly assembled a crew and stole nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution.
The in-development film is being adapted from J. North Conway’s book, King of Heists: The Sensational Bank Robbery of 1878 That Shocked America. Renner, through his company The Combine, and Don Handfield are producing the film, with Will Staples providing the script.
- 9/21/2011
- by Marty Shaw
- Movie Cultists
The Avengers star is attached to play the mastermind of America's greatest bank robbery as conveyed in J. North Conway's non-fiction book, which was recently optioned by Black Bear Pictures. Conway (American Literacy) relates the engrossing tale of “the greatest bank robbery in American history.” The central figure is architect George Leslie, who was 27 when he arrived in Manhattan in 1869 seeking success and adventure. With impeccable manners and good looks, Leslie led a double life, inserting himself into the Gilded Age city's most elite circles, while assembling a gang of “the cleverest criminals in New York City's underworld” to carry out a series of bank robberies. His biggest was the October 27, 1878, theft from the Manhattan Savings Institution of some $3 million in cash and...
- 9/21/2011
- by Eric Whitman
- The Daily BLAM!
"The Hurt Locker" and "The Avengers" star Jeremy Renner has signed on to star in "King of Heists" for Black Bear Pictures says Deadline.
Renner plays George Leslie, a mild-mannered gentleman who quietly assembled a crew and pulled off a $3 million heist from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878.
Will Staples adapted the screenplay from J. North Conway's book. Renner and Don Handfield will produce.
Renner plays George Leslie, a mild-mannered gentleman who quietly assembled a crew and pulled off a $3 million heist from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878.
Will Staples adapted the screenplay from J. North Conway's book. Renner and Don Handfield will produce.
- 9/21/2011
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Jeremy Renner is set to star in 'King of Heists'. The Oscar-nominated star will take a leading role in the adaptation of J. North Conway's non-fiction book of the same name, which will be scripted by Will Staples. The movie tells the tale of George Leslie, a mild-mannered man who went to New York and put together a gang who mastermind the audacious theft of $3 million in cash from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878. Jeremy will take the role of George, with Don Handfield and Teddy Schwarzman producing, Deadline.com confirms. No director...
- 9/21/2011
- Virgin Media - Movies
Is there a film in the 2010s that Jeremy Renner is not attached to? No. Well, “The Hunger Games” but I’m sure even that has a Renner cameo in it. Fresh off a dozen films, including “The Avengers,” Renner has just latched onto yet another high profile action film called “King of Heists.” Yes, it’s another bank heist film. But this one is special. This is a 19th century bank heist that actually happened, and can be read about in J. North Conway’s book of the same title. Renner will play George Leslie, who came to New York from the great wilds of Cincinnati. Well-educated, he pretended to be a wealthy and dapper gentleman working for the IRS. In reality, he was a bank robber, and a genius one at that. It’s estimated he was behind 80% of the American robberies that occurred between 1874 to 1884, and he had stolen millions of dollars.
- 9/21/2011
- LRMonline.com
Jeremy Renner’s last bank heist was in Ben Affleck’s The Town, and that earned him an Oscar nomination. In a report from Deadline, Renner will carry out a bank heist all over again in King of Heists. Renner is attached to star in the adaptation of the J. North Conway nonfiction book of the same name that tells the story of George Leslie. a mild mannered manner new to New York, who is secretly putting together a crew to steal nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878. Renner, who will play as George Leslie, and his The Combine partner Don Handfield will produce with Black Bear Pictures’ Teddy Schwarzman. Black Bear Pictures optioned the book and plans to finance development and production.
Will Staple penned the script and there is no director on board at this point. I am completely on board with...
Will Staple penned the script and there is no director on board at this point. I am completely on board with...
- 9/21/2011
- by Mike Lee
- FusedFilm
Jeremy Renner is planning to pull off another robbery.
The Oscar-nominated star of "The Town" will be participating in a more old-school kind of stick-'em-up as he signs on for the period crime drama, "King of Heists," according to Deadline.
"King of Heists" is based on the nonfiction book by J. North Conway that chronicles the life and crimes of George Leslie, a seemingly well-mannered gent who, upon immigrating to New York in 1878, secretly put together a crew and masterminded a heist of nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution.
And keep in mind that $3 million back in 1878 was, like, a zillion dollars.
We like the sound of this one. There's something very cool and classy about bank robbers who perform their dastardly deeds in three-piece suits and hats. And the more Jeremy Renner on the horizon, the better.
Renner is currently picking up where Matt Damon...
The Oscar-nominated star of "The Town" will be participating in a more old-school kind of stick-'em-up as he signs on for the period crime drama, "King of Heists," according to Deadline.
"King of Heists" is based on the nonfiction book by J. North Conway that chronicles the life and crimes of George Leslie, a seemingly well-mannered gent who, upon immigrating to New York in 1878, secretly put together a crew and masterminded a heist of nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution.
And keep in mind that $3 million back in 1878 was, like, a zillion dollars.
We like the sound of this one. There's something very cool and classy about bank robbers who perform their dastardly deeds in three-piece suits and hats. And the more Jeremy Renner on the horizon, the better.
Renner is currently picking up where Matt Damon...
- 9/21/2011
- by Bryan Enk
- NextMovie
Jeremy Renner, who was nominated for an Oscar for "The Town," will be robbing banks again in "King of Heists," an adaptation of the J North Conway non-fiction book about the greatest bank robberies in American history. Renner will play George Leslie, who came to New York appearing to be a mannered gentleman, but secretly put together a crew and masterminded a heist of nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878. The script will be written by Will Staples, who recently sold a sci-fi pitch to Fox that has Sam Worthington and James Cameron attached.
- 9/21/2011
- WorstPreviews.com
The man just can’t stay on the right side of the law. Whether it’s playing a greedy, rogue S.W.A.T. officer (S.W.A.T.), a red-neck rapist (North Country) or violent thief (The Town), Jeremy Renner knows how to play it bad.
He’s going back to the well. The actor is attached to star in King of Heists, based on the non-fiction book from J. North Conway, titled King of Heists: The Sensational Bank Robbery of 1878 That Shocked America. [Deadline]
Renner will play 27-year old architect George Leslie, who comes to New York in 1869 with dreams of adventure and success. So begins a double life amongst the upper class in beautifully-lit ballrooms and the lower class on the streets within the criminal underworld. Then, in 1878, he robbed the the Manhattan Savings Institution for around $3 million.
Conway’s book takes a note from Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City,...
He’s going back to the well. The actor is attached to star in King of Heists, based on the non-fiction book from J. North Conway, titled King of Heists: The Sensational Bank Robbery of 1878 That Shocked America. [Deadline]
Renner will play 27-year old architect George Leslie, who comes to New York in 1869 with dreams of adventure and success. So begins a double life amongst the upper class in beautifully-lit ballrooms and the lower class on the streets within the criminal underworld. Then, in 1878, he robbed the the Manhattan Savings Institution for around $3 million.
Conway’s book takes a note from Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City,...
- 9/21/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Someone’s going to be a busy dude with all the films he has coming out in the coming years and franchises he’s part of. Jeremy Renner, who’ll next be seen in “The Avengers” as Hawkeye and “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” has just been cast to star in an adaptation of J. North Conway’s nonfiction novel King of Heists. Getting back in bank robber mode (after starring in Ben Affleck’s “The Town”), Renner will play George Leslie, who came to New York appearing to be a mannered gent, but secretly put together a crew and masterminded a heist of nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878. Here’s the book’s official synopsis via Amazon: King of Heists is a spellbinding and unprecedented account of the greatest bank robbery in American history, which took place on October 27, 1878, when thieves broke into...
- 9/20/2011
- by Jessica
- Beyond Hollywood
Jeremy Renner is a busy man, but not too busy to sign on for a promising new film. He scored an Oscar nomination for The Town, so going into another heist picture evidently seems like a good idea. The actor is now attached to the in-development film adaptation of J. North Conway's book King of Heists: The Sensational Bank Robbery of 1878 That Shocked America. Yep, this one is a period tale, with Renner set to possibly play a guy who took almost $3m from a Manhattan bank over one hundred years ago. Deadline [1] says Renner would be "George Leslie, who came to New York appearing to be a mannered gent, but secretly put together a crew and masterminded a heist of nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878." As with his possible Steve McQueen biopic, Renner is producing this through his company The Combine, with...
- 9/20/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Perhaps already eyeing his third Oscar nomination, "The Town" actor Jeremy Renner has signed on to play brilliant 19th century gangster George Leslie in "King of Heists", an adaptation of the non-fiction book by J. North Conway, according to Deadline. The plot will focus on Leslie's orchestration of the successful heist of nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878. Renner will also produce the film along with producing partner Don Handfield and Teddy Schwarzman, whose Black Bear Pictures optioned the book rights. Black Bear Pictures is planning to finance the project's development and production, with writer...
- 9/20/2011
- by HitFix Staff
- Hitfix
Having won an Oscar nomination for robbing banks and generally just being an absolute bad-ass in Ben Affleck’s heist movie The Town last year, Jeremy Renner is planning his next job!
Deadline reports that Renner has attached himself to lead King of Heists, an adaptation of the J. North Conway book based on the true story of George Leslie, who successfully stole $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in New York, 1878. Leslie was a trained architect who in his teenage years turned to robbing banks when his parents died and his mild-mannered, gentlemanly charm and high-class socialising made him an unsuspecting culprit for the high-stakes jobs he was pulling.
Legend has it that Leslie would spend years planning many of his heists meticulously including building model replica’s of his targets, choosing his team like his life depended on it (which it probably did) and...
Deadline reports that Renner has attached himself to lead King of Heists, an adaptation of the J. North Conway book based on the true story of George Leslie, who successfully stole $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in New York, 1878. Leslie was a trained architect who in his teenage years turned to robbing banks when his parents died and his mild-mannered, gentlemanly charm and high-class socialising made him an unsuspecting culprit for the high-stakes jobs he was pulling.
Legend has it that Leslie would spend years planning many of his heists meticulously including building model replica’s of his targets, choosing his team like his life depended on it (which it probably did) and...
- 9/20/2011
- by Matt Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Who doesn't like bank robbery movies? Deadline is reporting that actor Jeremy Renner is attached to another new bank robbery project, following up The Town, by way of an adaptation of J. North Conway's non-fiction book called King of Heists [Amazon]. The screenplay is written by up-and-comer Will Staples, who has been pitching numerous scripts around town, and involves the real-life "criminal genius" George Leslie, the mastermind behind one of the greatest bank robberies in American history or: the Sensational Bank Robbery of 1878 That Shocked America, per the book's title. Black Bear Pictures is developing the film. Renner is obviously a highly in-demand actor, with Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol coming up, Marvel's The Avengers, and Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters in the can, plus he's just about to start shooting The Bourne Legacy at Universal, with Tony Gilroy directing that. Renner will play George Leslie in the late 19th-century period ...
- 9/20/2011
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Looks like Jeremy Renner has gotten a taste for the criminal life. Having run around robbing banks all whacked off of Scooby Snacks (and scored an Oscar nomination for doing so) in The Town, he’s now attached to produce and star in an adaptation of J North Conway’s non-fiction tome King of Heists.The eventual film will chronicle the true-life tale of George Leslie, a man who, in the 1860s, arrived in New York looking very much like every other dapper gent. But he was hiding a secret: he put together a team and in 1878, pulled off an audacious heist at the prestigious Manhattan Savings institution, making off with nearly $3 million in ill-gotten gains - which in modern terms is about a kajillion dollars. So careful was his planning that no one suspected his involvement until after his death.Will Staples, a veteran of games such as Call...
- 9/20/2011
- EmpireOnline
Jeremy Renner is set to take the lead in King of Heists. Deadline reports that Renner will star in the adaptation of the J. North Conway non fiction book from Lion Press about one of the greatest bank robbery in American history. He will play "George Leslie, who came to New York appearing to be a mannered gent, but secretly put together a crew and masterminded a heist of nearly $3 million in cash and securities from the Manhattan Savings Institution in 1878." The project is being produced by Renner and Don Handfield with Black Bear Pictures’ Teddy Schwarzman. The book was optioned by Black Bear Pictures, who also plans to finance development and production.
The script will be penned by Will Staples, who most recently sold his sci-fi pitch Myth to Fox with Sam Worthington attached and Lorenzo di Bonaventura and James Cameron producing. He has a lot of other movies on the way,...
The script will be penned by Will Staples, who most recently sold his sci-fi pitch Myth to Fox with Sam Worthington attached and Lorenzo di Bonaventura and James Cameron producing. He has a lot of other movies on the way,...
- 9/20/2011
- by Tiberius
- GeekTyrant
It's been a while since Jeremy Renner was seemingly part of every single casting announcement that came down the pike, but the guy does seem to be everywhere and in no hurry to take a break. Deadline reports that Renner has attached his name to yet another project, and one that will have him playing a bank robber for the second time after The Town. The film in question is The King of Heists, an adaptation of J. North Conway's nonfiction account of a $3 million bank robbery executed in 1878. Renner will play George Leslie, the mastermind behind the whole plot who "came to New York appearing to be a mannered gent." Ah, it's always the most mannered ones who then reach back behind you and steal your wallet. Renner is also on board as a producer, along with Don Handfield and Teddy Schwarzman; Will Staples is attached to write the...
- 9/20/2011
- cinemablend.com
Can we put Jeremy Renner in more movies? With The Avengers and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol coming up, you'd think that would be satisfying. But I'm still asking for more. Renner is now attached to star in The King Of Heists. J. North Conway wrote the non-fiction novel the film is based on. The actor will play, "George Leslie, who came to New York appearing to be a mannered gent, but secretly put together a crew and masterminded a heist of nearly $3 million in cash and...
- 9/20/2011
- by Niki Stephens
- JoBlo.com
Filed under: Movie News
And there's that news van again. The ever-busy Jeremy Renner has attached himself to another project. Per Deadline, he'll star in 'King of Heists,' an adaptation of J. North Conway's non-fiction book about George Leslie, a bank robber in 1878 New York. Renner is set to appear in 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' this December, as well as 'Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters,' 'The Avengers,' 'The Bourne Legacy,' 'Ice Age: Continental Drift,' and -- perhaps -- a biopic about actor Steve McQueen. Just a few things. [Deadline]
Continue Reading...
And there's that news van again. The ever-busy Jeremy Renner has attached himself to another project. Per Deadline, he'll star in 'King of Heists,' an adaptation of J. North Conway's non-fiction book about George Leslie, a bank robber in 1878 New York. Renner is set to appear in 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' this December, as well as 'Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters,' 'The Avengers,' 'The Bourne Legacy,' 'Ice Age: Continental Drift,' and -- perhaps -- a biopic about actor Steve McQueen. Just a few things. [Deadline]
Continue Reading...
- 9/20/2011
- by Christopher Rosen
- Moviefone
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